as a God of compassion God is infinite in all his attributes in his justice as well as in his mercy these two cannot interfere as justice cannot intrench upon mercy so neither may mercy encroach upon justice the glory of both must be maintained Now by the breach of the Law the justice of God is wronged so that although mercy be apt to pardon yet justice requires satisfaction and calls for vengeance on sinners Every transgression Heb. 2. 2. must receive just recompence and God will not in any case absolve the guilty till this be done the hands of Exod. 34. 7. mercy are tied that she cannot act And seeing satisfaction could not be made to an infinite majesty but by an equal person and price therefore the son of God must become a curse for us by taking our nature and pouring out his soul to the death and by this means justice and mercy are reconciled and kiss each other and mercy now being set at liberty hath her free course to save poor sinners God will have his justice satisfied to the full and therefore Christ must bear all the punishment due to our sins or else God cannot set us free for he cannot go against his own just will observe the force of that phrase Christ ought to suffer And thus it behoved Christ to suffer Luk. 24. 26. and Mat. 26. 54. Thus it must be why must but because it was 1. So decreed by God 2. Foretold by the Prophets every particular of Christ's sufferings were foretold by the prophets even to their very spitting in his face 3. Prefigured in the daily morning and evening sacrifice this Lamb of God was sacrificed from the beginning of the world A necessity then there was of our Saviour's sufferings not a necessity of coaction for he died freely John 10. 11 14 17 18. and voluntarily but of immutability and infallibility for the former reasons mentioned An earthly Prince that is just holds himself bound to inflict punishment impartially upon the malefactor or his surety it stands upon his honour he saith it must be so I cannot do otherwise this is true much more of God who is Justice it self God who is great in counsel and excellent in working had store of means at hand whereby to set free and recover lost man-kind yet he was pleased in his infinite wisdom to pitch upon this way of satisfaction as being most agreeable to his holy nature and most suitable to his high and sovereign ends viz. Man's salvation and his own glory and that God doth stand upon full satisfaction and will not forgive one sin without it may be thus made evident First from the nature of sin which is that abominable 1. â—eâ— 44. 4. God could not â—salvâ— jure pass over the sin of man so as absolutely to let it go unpunished thing which God hates The sinner deserves to die for his sins Rom. 6. 23. Tho wages of sin is death every sinner is worthy of death They which commit such things are worthy of death Rom. 1. 32. Now God is just and righteous It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you 2 Thes 1. 6. yea and God did therefore set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in bis blood Rom. 3. 25. To declare his righteousness that he might be just vers 26. Now if God be a just and righteous God then sin cannot absolutely escape unpunished for it is just with God to punish the sinner who is worthy of punishment and certainly God must deny himself if he will not be just 2 Tim. 2. 13. but this he can never do sin is of an infinite guilt and hath an infinite evil in the nature of it and therefore no person in heaven or earth but that person our Lord Jesus who is God-man and who had an infinite dignity that could either procure the pardon of it or make satisfaction for it no prayers no cries no tears no humblings no repentings no resolutions no reformations c. can stop the course of Justice or procure the guilty sinners pardon 't is Christ alone that can dissolve all obligations to punishment and break all bonds and chains of guilt and hand a pardon to us through his own blood Eph. 1. 7. we are set free by the blood of Christ By the blood of thy Zach. 9. 11. covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit 't is by his blood that we are justified and saved from wrath Rom. 5. 9. Much more being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath by him Pray tell me what is it to be justified but to be pardoned and what is it to be saved from wrath but to be delivered from all punishment Eph. 2. 13. Colos 1. 20. and both these depend upon the blood of Christ But The veracity of God requires it Look as God cannot but be just so he cannot but be true and if he cannot but be true then he will make good the threatnings that are gone out of his mouth Gen. 2. 17. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Heb. in dying thou Under the name of death are comprehended all other calamities miseries and sorrows shalt die death is a fall that came in by a fall and without all pâ—radventure every man should die the same day he was born for the wages of sin is death and this wages should be presently paid did not Christ reprieve poor sinner's lives for a season upon which account he is said to be the Saviour of all men not of eternal preservation but of a temporal reservation He will by no means clear 1 Tim. 4. 10. the guilty The soul that sinneth it shall die Ezek. 18. Exod. 34. 7. 20. The wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him Rom. 2. 6. He will render to every man according to his deeds Oh sirs God can never so far yield as to abrogate his own Law and quietly to sit down with injury and loss to his own Justice himself having established a Law c. The Law pronounces him cursed that continues not in all things Gal. 3. 10. that are written therein to do them Now though the threatnings of men are frequently vain and frivolous yet the threatnings of the great God shall certainly take place and have their accomplishment though many ten thousand millions of sinners perish not one tittle of the Mat. 5. 18. dreadful threatnings of God shall fail till all be fulfilled Josephus saith that from that very time that old Eli heard those terrible threatnings that made their ears tingle 1 Sam. 3. 11 12 13 14. and hearts tremble that heard them Eli never ceased weeping ah who can look upon the dreadful threatnings that are pointed against sinners all over the book of God and not tremble and weep God cannot but in justice punish sinners neither is it in his choice
in one is guilty of all 2 Jam. 10. Now that ye may not mistake Aquinas nor the Scripture he cites you must remember that the whole Law is but one copulative Exod. 16. 18. Ezek. 18. 10 11 12 13. v Mark he that breaketh one Command habitually breaketh all not so actually Such as are truly Goâ—ly in respect of the habitual desires purposes bents byasses inclinations resolutions and endeavours of their Souls do keep those very commands that actually they daily break But a dispensatory Conscience keeps not any one Commandement of God he that willingly and wilfully and habitually gives himself liberty to break any one Commandement is guilty of all That is 1. Either he breaks the chain of duties and so breaks all the Law being copulative or 2. With the same disposition of heart that he willingly wilfully habitually breaks one with the same disposition of heart he is ready prest to break all The Apostles meaning in that Jam. 2. 10. is certainly this viz. That suppose a man should keep the whole Law for substance except in some one particular yet by allowing of himself in this particular thereby he manifests that he kept no precept of the Law in obedience and conscience unto God for if he did then he would be careful to keep every precept thus much the words following import and hereby he manifests that he is guilty of all Some others conceive that therefore such a one may be said to be guilty of all because by allowing of himself in any one sin thereby he lyes under that Curse which is threatned against the transgressors of the Law Dan. 27. 26. Eighthly Every Christian should carry in his heart saith another a constant and resolute purpose not to sin in any thing for Faith and the purpose of sinning can never stand together This must be understood of an habitual not actual of a constant not transient purpose But Ninethly One flaw in a Diamond saith another takes away the lustre and the price One puddle if we wallow in it will defile us One man in Law may keep Possession One piece of ward Land makes the Heir liable to the King So one sin lived in and allowed may make a man miserable for ever But Tenthly One turn may bring a man quite out of the way One act of Treason makes a Traytor Giddcon had seventy Sons but one Bastard and yet that one Bastard destroyed all the rest Judg. 8. 13. One sin as well as one Sinner lived in and allowed may destroy much good saith another Eleaventhly He that favoureth one sin though he forgoe many do's but as Ben adab recover of one disease and dye of another yea he doth but take pains to go to Hell saith another Twelfthly Satan by one Lye to our first Parents made fruitless what God himself had Preached to them immediatly before saith another Thirteenthly A man may by one short act of sin bring a long Curse upon himself and his Posterity as Ham did when he saw his Father Noah Drunk Gen. 9. 24 25. And Noah awoke from his Wine and knew what his younger Son had done unto him and he said Cursed is Canaan a Servant of Servants shall he be unto his Brethren Canaan was Hams Son Noah as Gods mouth Prophesied a Curse upon the Son for his Fathers sin Here Ham is cursed in his Son Canaan and the curse entailed not only to Canaan but to his Posterity Noah Prophesies a long series and chain of curses upon Canaan and his Children he makes the curâ—e Hereditary to the Name and Nation of the Canaanites A Servant of Servants shall he be unto his Brethren that is the vilest and basest Servant for the Hebrews express the superlative degree by such a duplication as Vanity of Vanities that is most vain a Song of Songs that is a most excellent Song So here a Servant of Servants that is the vilest the basest Servant Ah heavy and prodigious Curse upon the account of one sin But Fourteenthly Satan can be content that men should yield to God in many things provided that they will be but true to him in some one thing for he knows very well that as one dram of Poyson may poyson a man and one stab at the heart may kill a man so one sin unrepented of one sin allowed retained cherrished and practised will certainly damn a man But Fifteenthly Though all the parts of a mans body be sound save only one that one Diseased and Ulcerous part may be deadly to thee for all the sound members cannot preserve thy life but that one diseased and Ulcerous member will hasten thy death So one sin allowed indulged and lived in will prove killing and damning to thee Sixteenthly Observe saith another that an unmortified sin allowed and wilfully retained will eat out all appearance of Vertue and Piety Herods high esteem of John and his Ministry and his reverencing of him and observing of him and his forward performance of many good things are all given over and laid aside at the instance and command of his master-sin his reigningsin Johns head must go for it if he won't let Herod enjoy his Herodias quietly But Seventeenthly Some will leave all their sins but one Jacob would let all his Sons go but Benjamin Satan can hold a man fast enough by one sin that he allows and lives in as the Fowler can hold the Bird fast enough by one wing or by one claw Eighteenthly Holy Policarp in the time of the fourth Persecution when he was commanded but to swear one Oath he made this Answer Four-score and six years have I endeavoured to do God Service and all this while he never hurt me how then can I speak evil of so good a Lord and Master who hath thus long preserved me I am a Christian and cannot swear let Heathens and Infidels swear if they will I cannot do it were it to the saving of my life Nineteenthly A willing and a wilfull keeping up either in heart or life any known transgression against the Lord is a breach of the holy Law of God it is a fighting against the honour an glory of God and is a reproach to the Eye of God the Omnipresence of God Twentiethly The keeping up of any known transgression against the Lord may endanger the souls of others and may be found a fighting against all the crys prayers tears promises Vows and Covenants that thou hast made to God when thou hast been upon a sick bed or in eminent dangers or near death or else when thou hast been in solemn seeking of the Lord either alone or with others these things should be frequently and seriously thought of by such poor souls as are entangled by any Lust Twenty-one The keeping up of any known transgression against the Lord either in heart or life is a high tempting of Satan to tempt the soul it will also greatly unfit the soul for all sorts of duties and services that he either owes to God
comfortably conclude that his â—aith is a true justâ—fying saving faith the faith of Gods Eâ—acâ— and such a faith as clearly evidences a gracious Estate and will certainly bring the Soul to Heaven Now in Answer to this important Question we may suppose the poor Believer is ready to experess himself thus First Upon search and sad experience I find my self a poor lost miserable and undone Creature as the Scriptures every where do evidence Ephe. 2. 1 2 5 12. Colos 2. 13. Rom. 8. 7 Luk. 19. 10. Secondly I am convinced that it is not in my self to deliver my self out of this lost miserable and forlorne Estate could I make as many Prayers as might be piled up between Heaven and Earth and weep as much blood as there is water in the Sea yet all this could not procure the pardon of one sin nor one smile from God c. Thirdly I am convinced that it is not in Angels or men to deliver me out of my lost miserable and undone condition I know provoked Justice must be satisfied Divine wrath pacified my sins pardoned my heart renewed my state changed c. or my soul can never be saved and I know it is not in Angels or Men to do any of these things for me Fourthly I find that I stand in absolute need of a Saviour to save me from wrath to come 1 Thes 1. 10. to save me from the curse of the Law Gal. 3. 10. 13. and to save me from infernal slames Isa 33. 14. so that I may well cry out with those in Act. 2. 37. Men and Brethren what shall we do And with the Jaylour Act. 16. 36. Sirs what shall I do to be saved Fifthly I see and know through grace that there is an utter impossibility of obtaining salvation by any thing or by any person but by Christ alone according to that of the Apostle Act. 4. 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other name that is no oother person under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved I know there is no Saviour that can deliver me from eternal death and bring me to eternal life and glory but that Jesus of whom it is said that he shall save his People from their sins Luk. 1. 21. and therefore I must conclude that there is an utter impossibility of obtaining Salvation by any other person or things c. But Sixthly I see and know through grace that Jesus Christ is an All-sufficient Saviour that he is a mighty yea an Almighty Saviour a Saviour that is able to save to the utmost all them that come to him as the Scripture speaks Psal 89. 19. I have laid help upon one that is mighty Isa 63. 1. I that speak in Righteousness mighty to save Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them I know that the Lord Jesus is mighty to save me from that Wrath and from that Curse and from that Hell and from that Damnation that is due to me by reason of my sins And that he is mighty to justifie me and mighty to pardon me and mighty to reconcile me to God the Father and mighty to bring me to glory as the Scripture do's every where testifie But Seventhly I know through grace that Jesus Christ is the only person anointed appointed fitted and furnished by the Father for that great and blessed work or office of saving Sinners souls as these Scriptures amongst others do clearly testifie Isa 61. 1 2 3 4. Luk. 4. 17. 18 19 20 21. Math. 1. 20 21. John 6. 27. Certainly were Jesus Christ never so able and mighty to save yet if he were not anointed appointed fitted and furnished by the Father for that great office of saving poor loâ—t Sinners I know no reason why I should expect Salvation by him But Eighthly I know through grace that the Lord Jesus Christ hath sufficiently satisfied as Mediatour the justice of God and pacified his wrath and fulfilled all Righteousness and procured the favour of God and the pardon of sin c. for all them that close with him that accept of him as he is offered in the Gospel of grace Gal 3. 19 20. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Heb. 8. 6. Heb. 9. 14 15. chap. 12. 24. Heb. 10. 12 14. Math. 3. 15. Rom. 8. 1 2 3 4. 33 34. chap. 5. 8 9 10. Act. 13. 39. Ninethly I find that Jesus Christ is freely offered in the Gospel to poor lost undone Sinners such as I am I find that the Ministers of the Gospel are commanded by Christ to proclaim in his Name a general pardon and to make a general offer of him to all to whom they Preach the everlasting Gospel without excluding any Mark 16. 15. And he said unto them Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel unto every Creature and what is it to preach the Gospel unto every Creature but to say unto them as the Angels did to the Shepherds Luk. 2. 10 11. I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord c. Tenthly I know through grace that all sorts of Sinners are invited to come to Christ to receive Christ to accept of Christ and to close with Christ Isa 55. 1 2. Math. 11. 28 29. Joh. 7. 37. Rev. 3. 20. and chap. 22. 17. c. But Eleventhly Through grace I do in my understanding really assent to that blessed record and report that God the Father in the blessed Scriptures has given concerning Christ 1 Joh. 5. 10 11 12. The report that God the Father has made concerning the Person of Christ and concerning the Offices of Christ and concerning the work of Redemption by Christ I do really and cordially assent unto as most true and certain upon the Authority of Gods Testimony who is truth it self and cannot lye Now though this assent alone is not enough to make a saving reception of Christ yet it is in saving faith and that without which it is impossible there should be any saving faith But 12thly I can say through grace that in my judgjudgment I do approve of the Lord Jesus Christ not only as a good but as the greatest good as a universal good as a matchless good as an incomparable good as an infinit good as an eternal good and as the most sutable good in Heaven and Earth to my poor soul as these Scriptures do evidence Psal 73. 25 26. Cant. 5. 10. 45. Psal 1 2. Phil. 3. 7 8 9 10. 1 Tim. 1. 15. I know there is every thing in Christ that may suit the state case necessities and wants of my poor soul there is mercy in him to pardon me and power in him to save me and wisdom in him to counsel me and grace in him to enrich me and
Cor. 5. 10. Heb 9. 27. cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 4 5 to the ten Scriptures in the Margent that refer either to the general judgment or to the particular judgment that will pass upon every Christian immediately after death O blessed God Jesus Christ has by his own blood ballanced and made up all reckonings and accounts that were between thee and me and thou hast vehemently protested that thou wilt not bring me into Judgment that thou wilt blot out my Transgressions as a thick Cloud and that thou wilt remember my sins no more and that thou wilt cast them behind thy back and hurl them into the depth of the Sea and that thou wilt forgive them and cover them and not impute them to me c. This is my Plea O Lord and by this plea I shall stand Well saith the Judge of Quick and Dead I own this plea I accept of this plea I have nothing to say against this plea the plea is just safe honourable and righteous enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Secondly Every Sinner at his first believing and closing with Christ is justified in the Court of glory from all his sins both guilt and punishment Justification Act. 13. 39. doth not increase or decrease but all sin is pardoned at the first act of believing All who are justified are justified alike there is no difference amongst Believers as to their justification one is not more justified than another for every justified person hath a plenary Remission of his sins and the same Righteousness of Christ imputed but in Sanctification there is difference amongst Believers Every one is not sanctified alike for some are 1 Cor. 12. 19 1â— 14. 1 Joh 2 1. 12 13 14. stronger and higher and others are weaker and lower in grace As soon as any are made Believers in Christ all the sins which they have committed in time past and all the sins which they are guilty of as to the time present they are actually pardoned unto them in general and in particular Now that all the sins of a Believer are pardoned at once and actually unto them may be thus demonstrated First All phrases in Scripture imply thus much Esa 43. 25. I even I am he which blotteth out thy Transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins Jer. 31. 34. I will forgive their Iniquity and I will remember their sin no more Jer. 33. 8. And I will pardon all their Iniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have Transgressed against me Ezek. 18. 22. All his Transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him Heb. 8. 12. I will be merciful unto their Vnrighteousness and their sins and their Iniquities I will remember no mâ—re ergo all is pardoned at once But Secondly That Remission of sins that leaves no Condemnation to the party offending is the Remission of all sins for if there were any sin remaining a man is still in 2. At a sinners first Conâ—ersion his sins are truly and perfectly pardoned 1. All as to sin already past 2. All as to the state of Remission they had a perfect right to the pardon of all their sins paâ—t present and to come though not an equal 〈◊〉 the state of Condemnation but Justification leaves no Condemnation Romans 8. 1. vers There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus and ver 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth and ver 38 39. Nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord and Joh. 5. 24. He that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into Condemnation but is passed from death to life ergo all sins are pardoned at once or else they were in a state of Condemnation c. Thus you see it evident that there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus therefore there is full remission of all sins to the soul at the first act of believing But Thirdly A Believer even when he sinneth is still united to Christ Joh. 15. 1. 6. Joh. 17. 21 22 23. 1 Cor. 6. 17. And he is still Cloathed with the Righteousness of Christ which covers all his sins and dischargeth him from them so that no guilt can redound to him Isa 61. 10. Jer. 23. 6. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Phil. 3. 9. c. But Fourthly A Believer is not to fear Curse or Hell at all which yet he might do if all his sins were not pardoned at once but some of his new sins were for a while unpardoned c. But Fifthly Our Lord Jesus Christ by once suffering suffered for all the sins of the Elect past present and to come the infinite wrath of God the Father fell on him for all the sins of the chosen of God Isa 53. 9. Heb. 12. 14. chap. 10. 9 10 12 14. If Christ had suffered for ten thousand worlds he could have suffered no more than he did for he suffered the whole infinite wrath of God the Father the wrath of God was infinite wrath the sufferings of Christ were infinite sufferings ergo Look as Adam's sin was enough to infect a thousand worlds so our Saviours merits are sufficient to save a thousand worlds those sufferings that he suffered for sins past are sufficient to satisfie for sins present and to come That all the sins of Gods Isa 54. 5 6. people in their absolute number from first to last were laid upon Christ who in the days of his sufferings did meritoriously purchase perfect remission of all their sins to be applyed in future times to them and by them is most certain But Sixthly Repentance is not at all required for our justification where our pardon is only to be found but only Faith therefore pardon of sin is not suspended until we repent of our sins But Sevently If the Remission of all sins be not at once it is either because my faith cannot lay hold on it or because there is some hinderances in the way But a man by the hand of faith may lay hold on all the merits of Christ and the word reveals the pardon of all and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper seals and confirms the pardon of all and there is no danger nor inconvenience that attends this assertion for it puts the highest obligation imaginable upon the soul as to fear and obedience Psal 1 30. 3. v. If thou Lord shouldest mark Iniquities O Lord who shall stand ver 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Forgiveness makes not a Christian bold with sin but fearful of sin and careful to obey as Christians find in their daily experience By this Argument it appears clear that the forgiveness of all sins is made to the soul at once at the first act of Believing But Eightly If new
Christ be not God yea God-man then we shall never be able to answer all the challenges that either divine Justice or Satan can make upon us whatsoever the justice of God can exact that the blood of God can discharge now the blood of Christ is the blood of God as I have evidenced in the second Reason by reason of the hypostatical union the humane nature being united to the divine the humane nature did suffer the Divine did satisfie Christ's Godhead did give both Majesty and Essicacy to his sufferings Christ was sacrifice Priest and Altar He was Sacrifice as he was man Priest as he was God and man and Altar as he was God it is the property of the Altar to sanctifie the thing offered Mat. 23. 19. on it so the Altar of Christ's divine nature sanctified the sacrifice of his death and made it meritorious Man sinned and therefore man must satisfie Therefore the humane nature must be assumed by a surety for man cannot do it If an Angel should have assumed humane nature it would have polluted him Humane nature was so defiled by sin that it could not be assumed by any but God Now Christ being God the Divine nature purified the Humane nature which he took and so it was a sufficient sacrifice The person offered in sacrifice being God as well as man This is a most noble ground upon which a believer may challenge Satan to say his worst and to do his worst let him present God as terrible yea as a consuming Heb. 12. 29. fire let him present me as odious and abominable Zecha 3. 2 3. in the sight of God as once he did Joshuah let him present me before the Lord as vile and mercenary as once he did Job let him aggravate the heighth of God's displeasure Job 1. 9 10 11. and the heighth and depth and length and breadth of my sins I shall readily grant all and against all this I will set the infinite satisfaction of dear Jesus this I know that though the justice of God cannot be avoided nor bribed yet it may be satisfied Here is a proportionable satisfaction here is God answering God 'T is a very noble plea of the Apostle who is he that condemneth Rom. 8. 34. it is Christ that died let Satan urge the justice of God as much as he can I am sure that the justice of God 1 John 1. 7 8 9. makes me sure of Salvation and the reason is evident because his justice obligeth him to accept of an adequate satisfaction of his own appointing The justice of God maketh me sure of mine own happiness because if God be just that satisfaction should be had when that satisfaction is made Justice requireth that the person for whom it is made shall be received into favour I confess that unless God had obliged himself by promise there were no pressing his justice thus far because Noxa sequitur caput There was mercy in the promise of sending Christ Gen. 3. 15. Had not Christ stept in between man's sin Gods wrath the world had fallen about Adam's ears out of mercy to undertake for us otherwise we cannot say that God was bound in justice to accept of satisfaction unless he had first in mercy been pleased to appoint the way of a surety Justice indeed required satisfaction but it required it of the person that sinneth Gen. 2. 17. But of the tree of the knowledg of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die or dying thou shalt die or as others read the words thou shalt surely and shortly or suddenly die and without controversie every man should die the same day he is born The wages of sin is death and this wages Rom. 6. 23. should be presently paid did not Christ as a boon beg poor sinners lives for a season for which cause he is called the Saviour of all men not of eternal preservation 1 Tim. 4. 10. but of temporal reservation it was free and noble mercy to all mankind that dear Jesus was promised and provided sealed and sent into the world that some might be eternally saved and the rest preserved from wrath for Jâ—hn 6. 27. a time Here cometh in mercy that a surety shall be accepted and what he doth is as if the person that offended should have done it himself Here is mercy and salvation surely bottomed upon both ah what sweet and transcendent comfort flows from this very consideration That Christ is God But Fourthly the great and glorious majesty of God required it that Christ should be God God the father being a God of infinite holiness purity justice and righteousness none but he who was very God who was essentially one with the father could or durst interpose John 10. 30. cap. 14. 9 10 11. c. between God and fallen man The Angels though they are glorious creatures yet they are but creatures and could these satisfie divine justice and bear infinite wrath and purchase divine favour and reconcile us to God and procure our pardon and change our hearts and renew our natures and adorn our souls with Grace and yet all these things must be done or we undone and that for ever Now if this were a work too high for Angels then we may safely conclude that it was a work too hard for fallen man Man was once the mirrour of all understanding the Hicroglyphick of Wisdom but now quantum mutatus ab illo there is a great alteration for poor sorry man is now sent to school to learn wisdom and instruction of the beasts birds and creeping things he is sent to the Pismire to learn providence Prov. 6. 6 To the Stork and to the Swallow to learn to make a right use of time Jer. 8. 7. To the Oxe and the Ass to learn knowledg Isa 1. 3. And to the fowls of the Air to learn confidence Mat. 6. Man that was once a master of knowledg a wonder of understanding perfect in the science of all things is now grown blockish sottish and senseless and therefore altogether unfit and unable to make his peace with God to reconcile himself to God c. But Fifthly and lastly that Christ's sufferings and merits might be sufficient it was absolutely necessary that he should be God The sin of man was infinite I mean in finitely punishable if not infinite in number yet infinite in nature every offence being infinite it being committed against an infinite God No creature could therefore satisfie for it but the sufferer must be God that so his infiniteness might be answerable to the infiniteness of men's offences There was an absolute necessity of Christ's sufferings partly because he was pleased to substitute himself in the sinner's stead and partly because his sufferings only could be satisfactory Now unless he had been man how could he suffer and unless he had been God how could he satisfie offended Justice
instances and not blush Certainly the more Christ hath suffered for us the more dear Christ should be unto us the more bitter his sufferings have been for us the more sweet his love should be to us and the more eminent should be our love to him O let a suffering Christ lie nearest your hearts let him be your Manna your Tree of Life your Morning-star 't is better to part with all than with this Pearl of price Christ is that golden pipe through which the golden oyl of salvation runs and oh how should this inflame our love to Christ Oh that our hearts were more affected with the sufferings of Christ Who can tread upon these hot coals and his Can. 8. 7 8. heart not burn in love to Christ and cry out with Ignatius Christ my love is crucified If a friend should die Joh. 10. 17 18. for us how would our hearts be affected with his kindness and shall the God of Glory lay down his life for us and shall we not be affected with his goodness Shall Saul be affected with David's kindness in sparing his life 1 Sam. 24. 16. and shall not we be affected with Christ's kindness who Joh. 1. 18. to save our life lost his own O the infinite love of Christ that he should leave his Fathers bosom and come down Joh. 14. 1 2 3 4. from heaven that he might carry you up to heaven that he that was a Son should take upon him the form of a Phil. 2. 5 6 7 8. servant that you of slaves should be made Sons of enemies should be made friends of heirs of wrath should Rom. 8. 17. be made heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ that to save us from everlasting ruine Christ should stick at nothing but be willing to be made flesh to lie in a manger to be tempted deserted persecuted and to die upon a Cross O what flames of love should these things kindle in all our hearts to Christ Love is compared to fire in heaping love upon our enemy we heap coals of Râ—m 12. 19 20. Prov. 26. 21. fire upon his head now the property of fire is to turn all it meets with into its own nature fire maketh all things fire the coal maketh burning coals and is it not a wonder then that Christ having heaped abundance of the fiery coals of his love upon our heads we should yet be but key-cold in our love to him Ah what sad metal are we made of that Christ's fiery love cannot inflame our love to Christ Moses wondred why the Bush Exod. 3. 3. consumed not when he see it all on fire but if you please but to look into your own hearts you shall see a greater wonder for you shall see that though you walk like those three Children in the fiery furnace even in the Dan. 3. midst of Christ's fiery love flaming round about you yet there is but little very little true smell of that sweet fire of love to be felt or found upon you or in you Oh when shall the sufferings of a dear and tender-hearted Saviour kindle such a flame of love in all our hearts as shall still be a breaking forth in our lips and lives in our words and ways to the praise and glory of free Grace Cant. 2. 5. O that the sufferings of a loving Jesus might at last make us all sick of love O let him for ever lie betwixt our Cant. 1. 13. breasts who hath left his Fathers bosom for a time that he might be enbosom'd by us for ever But Thirdly Then in the sufferings of Christ as in a Gospel-glass you may see the odious nature of Sin and accordingly learn to hate it arm against it turn from it and subdue it Sin never appears so odious as when we Psal 119. 104 113 128. Rom. 7. 15. cap. 12. 9. behold it in the â—ed Glass of Christ's sufferings Can we look upon sin as the occasion of all Christ's sufferings can we look upon sin as that which made Christ a curse and that made him forsaken of his Father and that made him live such a miserable life and that brought him to die such a shameful painful and cruel death and our hearts not rise against it Shall our sins be grievous unto Christ and shall they not be odious unto us shall he die for our sins and shall not we die to our sins did not he therefore suffer for sin that we might cease from sin did not he bear our sins in his own body on the tree 1 Pet. 4. 1. that we being dead to sin should live to righteousness If 1 Pet. 2. 24. one should kill our father would we hug and imbrace him as our father no we would be revenged on him Sin hath killed our Saviour and shall we not be reveng'd on it Can a man look upon that Snake that hath stung his dearly beloved spouse to death and preserve it alive warm it at the fire and hug it in his bosom and not rather stab it with a thousand wounds 'T is sin that hath stung our dear Jesus to death that has crucified our Lord clouded his glory and shed his precious blood and oh how should this stir up our indignation against it ah how can a Christian make much of those sins that killed his deared Lord how can he cherish those sins that betrayed Christ and apprehended Christ and bound Christ and condemned Christ and scourged Christ and that violently drew him to the Cross and there murdered him It was neither Judas nor Pilate nor the Jews nor the Souldiers that could have done our Lord Jesus the least hurt had not our sins like so many Butchers and Hangmen come in to their assistance After Julius Caesar was treacherously murthered in the Senate-house Antonius brought forth his Coat all bloody cut and mangled and laying it open to the view of the people said Look here is your Emperors coat and as the bloody conspirators have dealt by it so have they dealt with Caesar's body whereupon the people were all in an uproar and nothing would satisfie them but the death of the murtherers and they run to the houses of the conspirators and burnt them down to the ground But what was Caesar's coat and Caesar's body to the body of our dear Lord Jesus which was all bloody rent and torn for our sins Ah how should this provoke us to be revenged on our sins how should we for ever loath and abhorr them how should our fury be whetted against them how should we labour with all our might to be the death of those sins that have been the death of so great a Lord and will if not prevented be the death of our Souls to all eternity To see God thrust the sword of his pure infinite and incensed wrath through the very heart of his dearest Son notwithstanding all his supplications prayers Heb. 5. 7. tears and strong cries
is the highest discovery of the Lords hatred and indignation of sin that ever was or will be 'T is true God discovered his great hatred against sin by turning Adam out of Paradise and by casting the Angels down to hell by drowning the old world and by raining hell out of heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah and by the various and dreadful judgments that he has been a pouring forth upon the world in all ages but all this hatred is but the picture of hatred to that hatred which God manifested against sin in causing the whole curse to meet upon our crucified Lord as all streams meet in the sea 'T is true God discovers his hatred of sin by those endless easless and remediless torments that he inflicts upon Devils and damned spirits but this is no hatred to that hatred against sin which God discovered when he opened all the flood-gates of his envenom'd wrath upon his Son his own Son his only Son his Son Isa 53. 5 6. Prov. 8. 30 31. Matth. 3. ult that always pleased him his Son that never offended him Should you see a father that had but one son and he such a son in whom he always delighted and by whom he had never been provoked a son that always made it his business his work his heaven to promote Joh. 8. 49 50. the honour and glory of his father a son who was always Joh. 9. 4. most at ease when most engaged in his fathers service Joh. 4. 34. a son who counted it his meat and drink to do his father's will now should you see the father of such a son inflicting the most exquisite pains and punishments tortures and torments calamities and miseries upon this his dearest son you would readily conclude that certainly the sins the offences that have put the father upon exercising such amazing such matchless severity fury and cruelty upon his only Son are infinitly hateful odious Jer. 44. 4. Zech. 8. 17. The Rabbins to scare their Scholars from sin used to tell them that sin made God's head ache but I may say sin hath made Christs head ache and his heart ach too and and abominable to him Now if you please but to cast your eye upon the actings of God the Father towards Jesus Christ you will find that he hath inflicted more torments and greater torments upon the Son of his dearest love than all mortals ever have or could inflict upon their only sons Isai 53. 6. The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all Heb. Hath made the iniquities of us all to meet on him or to light or fall on him rather God made all the penalties and sufferings that were due to us to fall upon Jesus Christ as a man is wont to fall with all his might in a hostile manner upon his enemy God himself inflicted upon dear Jesus whatsoever was requisite to the satisfying of his Justice to the obtaining of pardon and to the saving of all his elect vers 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief all the devils in hell nor all the men upon earth could never have bruised or put to grief our Lord Jesus if it had not pleased the Lord to bruise him and put him to grief he had never been bruised or put to grief O how should this work us to look upon sin with indignation Suppose a man should come to a Table and there should be a knife laid at his Trencher and it should be told him this is the very knife that cut the throat of your child or father if this person should use this knife as any other knife would not every one say Surely this man had but very little love to his father or his child who can use this bloody knife as any other knife So when you meet with any temptation to sin O then say This is the very knife that cut the throat of Jesus Christ that pierced his sides that was the cause of his sufferings and that made Christ to be a curse and accordingly let your hearts rise against it Ah how well doth it become Christians to look upon sin as that accursed thing that made Christ a curse and accordingly to abhorr it Oh with what detestation should a man fling away such a knife and with the like detestation should every Christian fling away his sins as Ephraim did his Idols Get you Hosea 14. 8. Isa 2. 20. cap. 30. 22. hence what have I any more to do with you Sin thou hast slain my Lord thou hast been the only cause of the death of my Saviour Let us say as David Is not this the 2 Sam. 23. 17. blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives so is not this the sin that poured out Christ's blood oh how should this enrage our hearts against sin because it cost Heb. 2. 10. the Captain of our salvation not the hazard but the very loss of his life God shewed Moses a tree wherewith he Exod. 15. 25. might make the bitter waters sweet but lo here is a tree wherewith ye may make the sweet waters of sin to become bitter Look upon the tree on which Christ was crucified remember his Cross and the pains he suffered thereon and the seeming sweetness that is in sin will quickly vanish when you are sollicited to sin cast your eye upon Christ's Cross remember his astonishing sufferings for sin and it will soon grow distasteful to your souls for how can that chuse but be hateful to us if we seriously consider how hurtful it was to Jesus Christ who can look upon the Cross of Christ and excuse his sin as Adam did saying The woman which thou gavest me she Gen. 3. 12. gave me of the tree and I did eat who can look upon the Cross of Christ and colour his sin as Judas did saying Hail Matth. 26. 49. Master who can look upon the Cross of Christ and deny his sin as Gehazi did saying Thy servant went no whither 2 Kings 5. 25. who can look upon the Cross of Christ and defend his sin as Jonah did saying I do well to be angry O sirs where is Jonah 4. 9. that hatred of sin that use to be in the Saints of old David could say I hate vain thoughts and I hate every false Psal 119 104 113 128. Rom. 7 15. way and Paul could say what I hate that do I. 'T is better saith one to be in hell with Christ than to be in heaven with sin O how odious was sin in the Saints eye The primitive Christians chose rather to be cast to Lyons without Ad leonem magis qnà m lemonem saith Tertullian than to be left to lusts within so great was their hatred of sin I had rather saith Anselm go to hell pure from sin than to heaven poluted with that guilt I will rather saith another leap into a Bonfire than wilfully to sin
person should fulfil the righteousness of the Law that it might be satisfied in its commands now in this plenary satisfaction made to the Law the Wisdom of God does gloriously shine The heart of God was so set upon a full satisfaction to his Law that rather than it should not be done his own Son must come from heaven and put on flesh and be himself made under the Gal. 4. 4 5. Law he must live a holy life and die a cursed death and all to satisfie the Law and to keep up the Authority of it But Fourthly God doth stand upon full satisfaction and will not forgive one sin without it that he might hereby cut off all occasions which the Devil his Arch-enemy might take to calumniate and traduce him for if God did not stand upon full satisfaction the Devil might accuse him 1. of Inconstancy and Changeableness that having threatned death to transgressors he did quite forget himself in waving the threatning and dispensing wholly with his Law by granting them free remission Yea 2. of Partiality and respect of persons that he should be so easie and forbearing as to let them pass without any punishment at all having been formerly so severe and rigid against himself in casting him and his Angels down to hell and keeping them in everlasting flames and chains of darkness without the least 2 Pet. 2. 4. Jude v. 6. hope of recovery Satan might say Lord thou mightest have spared me as well as Man but the Lord can now answer Man hath made satisfaction he hath born the Curse and thereby fully discharged all the demands of the Law if he had not I would no more have spared him than thee Ambrose brings in the Devil boasting against Christ and challenging Judas as his own He is not thine Lord Jesus he is mine his thoughts beat for me he eats with thee but is fed by me he takes bread from thee but money from me he drinks with thee but sells thy blood to me Had God pardoned sin without satisfaction ah how would Satan have boasted and triumphed over God himself But Fifthly and lastly God's standing upon full satisfaction and his not forgiving one sin without it bears a visible character of his goodness and loving kindness as well as it sounds out aloud the glory of divine Justice The great and the holy God whose Name is holy Exod. 15. 1 11. might have rigorously exacted the penalty of the Law on the persons of sinners themselves but he hath so far dispensed with his own Law as to admit of a Surety by whom the end of the Law that is the manifestation of his Justice and hatred of sin might be fulfilled and yet a considerable part of Mankind might be preserved from the jaws of the second death Rev. 20. 6. which otherwise must unavoidably have perished to all eternity God seems to speak at such a rate as this I may not I will not suffer this high affront of Adam Rom. 7. 12 14. and his posterity against my holy and righteous Law whereby the honour both of my Justice and Truth is in danger to be trampled underfoot and yet if I should let out all my wrath upon them they were never able Psal 78. 38. to stand under it but their spirits would fail before me and the souls that I have made I will therefore let out Isa 57. 16. all my wrath upon their Surety and he shall bear it for them that they may be delivered and thus the Lord in wrath remembers mercy Hab. 3. 2. But Fourthly we can receive no benefit by the Righteousness of Christ for Justification in the sight of God nor can we be pardoned and accepted thereupon until that righteousness become ours and be made over unto us how can we plead this righteousness before God except Isa 45. 2â— 25. we have an interest in this righteousness how can we rejoyce and triumph in this righteousness if this righteousness 2 Cor. 2. 14. â—al 6. 14. Rom. 5. 1. â—â—b 4. 15 16. â—sal 22. 1 2. Rom. 4. 7 8 9 10 11. Rom. 4. 3. If Christ's obedience be imputed to us it must be so imputed as to be our righteousness before God no imoutation beâ—ow this will serve our turns â—hâ—ar our heart â—nd save our souls Rev. 14. 8. Isa 63. 1. Râ—v 3. 18. be not made ours how can we have peace with God and boldness at the throne of grace through this righteousness except we can lay claim to this righteousness how can we conclude that we are happy and blessed upon the account of this righteousness except it be made over to us There is none of us that have such an inherent righteousness in our selves that we dare plead before the Bar of God and though God hath provided such a glorious Robe of righteousness for poor sinners as is the wonder and amazement of Angels yet what would all this avail the poor sinner if this righteousness be not made over to him O sirs remember this Christ's Righteousness must be yours it must be made over to you or else it will never stand you in stead Rom. 5. 17. For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in glory by one Jesus Christ except they receive the Righteousness of Christ it is nothing to them Christ's Righteousness is in it self white rayment and beautiful and glorious apparrel but it will never cover our nakedness except it be put on and we are cloathed with it it must be made over to us or we can never be justified by it 1 Cor. 1. 30. He of God is made to us righteousness if he be not made to us righteousness we shall never be righteous Though man hath lost a righteousness to be justified by yet there is an absolute necessity of having one God cannot love nor delight in any thing but righteousness God is a holy God a righteous God and therefore can only love and take pleasure in those that are righteous both by a righteousness imputed and a righteousness imparted Isa 45. 24. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength ver 25. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Isa 54. 17. Their righteousness is of me saith the Lord Psal 71. 16. I will make mention of thy righteousness even of thine only Look as no man can be made rich by another mans riches except they are made his so no man can be made righteous by the righteousness of Christ except his righteousness be made over to him hence he is called the Lord our righteousness Jer. 23. 6. and hence we are said to be the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. hence we are said by his obedience to be made righteous 2 Cor. 5. 21. Fifthly and lastly The way whereby this Righteousness of Cods providing is
conveyed and made over to us that we may receive the benefit thereof and be justified thereby it is by way of Imputation the meaning is this God doth reckon the righteousness of Christ unto his people as if it were their own he doth count unto them Christ's sufferings and satisfaction and makes them partakers of the vertue thereof as if themselves had suffered and satisfied This is the genuine and proper import of the word Imputation when that which is personally done by one is accounted and reckoned to another and laid upon his score as if he had done it Thus it is in this very case we sinned and fell short of Rom. 3. 21. Isa 53. Imputed righteousness seems to be prefigured by the skins wherewith the Lord after the fall cloathed our first parents the bodies of the beasts were for sacrifice and the skins to put them in mind that their own righteousness was like the sig-leaves imperfect and that therefore they must be justified another way the glory of God and became obnoxious to the vindictive Justice of God and the Lord Jesus Christ by his obedience and death hath given full content and satisfaction to divine Justice on our behalf now when God doth pardon and accept us hereupon he doth put it upon our account he doth reckon or impute it unto us as fully in respect of the benefit thereof as if we our selves had performed it in our own persons and this is the way wherein the holy Ghost frequently expresseth it Rom. 4. 6. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works and ver 11. That righteousness might be imputed to them also and therefore it highly concerns us to mind this Scripture-rule That in order to the satisfaction of the Justice of God the sins of Gods people were imputed and reckoned unto Christ and in order to our partaking of the benefit of that satisfaction or deliverance thereby Christ's righteousness must be imputed and reckoned unto us The first branch of this Rule you have Isa 53. 5 6. He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities c. and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all And for the other branch of the Rule see Rom. 5. 19. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous ver 17. As by one man's offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ From the comparison between the first and second Adam it is evident that as Adam's transgression of the Law of God is imputed to all his posterity and that in respect thereof they are reputed sinners and accursed and liable to eternal death so also Christ's obedience whereby he fulfilled the Law is so imputed to the members of his mystical body that in regard of God they stand as innocent justified and accepted to eternal life Look as Adam was the common root of all Mankind and so his sin is imputed to all his posterity so Jesus Christ is the common root of all the faithful and his obedience is imputed to them all for it were ridiculous to say that Adam's sin had more power to condemn than Christ's righteousness hath to save and who but fools in folio will say that God doth not impute Christ's righteousness as well as Adam's sin The Apostle's parallel between the two Adams does clearly evidence That as the guilt of Adam's disobedience is really imputed to us insomuch that in his sinning we all sinned so the obedience of Christ is as really imputed unto us insomuch that in his obeying reputatively and legally we obey also How did Adam's sin become ours Why by way of imputation he transgressed the Covenant Gen. 3 6 11 12. As imitation of Adam only made us not sinners so imitation of Christ only makes us not righteous but the imputation Dewâ— of Justification and did eat the forbidden fruit and it was justly reckoned unto us it was personally the sinful act of our first Parent but it is imputed to all of us who come out of his loyns for we were in him not only naturally as he was the Root of Mankind but also legally as he was the great Representative of Mankind In the Covenant of works and the transactions thereof Adam stood in the stead and acted in the behalf not only of himself but of all his posterity and therefore his sin is reckoned unto them even so saith the Apostle after the same manner the obedience and righteousness of Christ is made over to many for Justification I cannot understand the analogy betwixt the two Adams wherein the Apostle is so clear and full unless this imputation as here stated be granted Look as Christ was made sin for us only by imputation so we are made righteous only by the imputation of his righteousness to us as the Scripture every where evidences 2 Cor. 5. 21. 1 Pâ—t 2. 21. He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him How was Christ made sin for us not sin inherent for he had no sin in him he was holy harmless and undesiled separate Heb. 7. 26. from sinners and made higher than the heavens but by imputation Christ's righteousness is imputed to us in that way wherein our sin was imputed to him Now our sin was imputed to Christ not only in the bitter effects of it but he took the guilt of them upon himself as I have in this Treatise already evidenced so then his righteousness or active obedience it self must be proportionably imputed to us and not only in the effects thereof The Mediatory righteousness of Christ can no way become the believers but as the first Adam's disobedience became his posterities who never had the least actual share in his transgression that is by an act of imputation from God as a Judge the Lord Jesus having fulfilled the Law as a second Adam God the Father imputeth it to the believing soul as if he had done it in his own person I do not say that God the Father doth account the sinner to have done it but I say that God the Father doth impute it to the believing sinner as if he had done it unto all saving intents and purposes Hence Christ is called the Lord our righteousness Jer. 23. 6. An awakened soul that is truly sensible of his own baseness and unrighteousness would not have this golden sentence The Lord our righteousness blotted out by a hand of heaven out of the Bible for as many worlds as there are men in the world so is that Text to a believer living and dying a strong cordial In this 1 Cor. 1. 30. the Apostle 1. distinguisheth Righteousness from Sanctisication imputed Righteousness from inherent Righteousness 2. he
fundamental guilt no no but he was made sin by imputation and law-account he was our Surety and so our sins were laid on him in order to punishment And to prefigure this all the iniquities of Gods people were imputed to their sacrifice though they were not inherently his own as we read Levit. 16. 21 22 Aaron shall put all the iniquities of all the children of Israel and all their transgressions and all their sins upon the head of the Goat and the Goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities and why then should it seem strange that the perfect righteousness of our sacrifice and surety though it be not our own inherently should be imputed to us by the Lord and made ours Frequently and seriously consider that the word answering this imputing is in the Hebrew Chashab and in To impute in the General is to acknowledg that to be another's which is not indeed his and it is used either in a good or bad sense so that it is no more than to account or reckon It is the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us and accepted for us by which we are judged righteous the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which the summ as the learned say comes to this That though the words in the general signifie to think to reason to imagine c. yet very frequently they are used to signifie to account or reckon by way of computation as Arithmeticians use to do so that it is as it were a judgment passed upon a thing when all reasons and arguments are cast together And from this it is applied to signifie any kind of accounting or reckoning and in this sence imputation is taken here for God's esteeming and accounting of us righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to reckon or account 't is taken by a borrowed speech from Merchants reckonings and accounts who have their debt-books wherein they set down how their reckonings stand in the particulars they deal in Now in such debt-books Merchants use to set down whatever payments are only made either by the debtors themselves or by others in the behalf of them an example whereof we have in the Epistle to Philemon vers 18. where Paul undertakes to Philemon for Onesimus if he hath wronged thee or oweth thee any thing put that on my account that is account Onesimus his debt to Paul and Paul's satisfaction or payment to Onesimus which answers the double imputation in point of justification Psal 32. 1 2. that is of our sins to Christ and of Christ's satisfaction to us both which are implyed 2 Cor. 5. 21. He made him to be sin for us that is our sins were imputed to him that we might be the righteousness of God in him that is that his rightcousness might be imputed to us The language of Jesus Christ to his father seems to be this Oh holy Father I have freely and willingly taken all the debts and all the sins of all the believers in the world upon me I have undertaken to be their pay-master to satisfie thy justice to pacifie thy wrath to fulfil thy Law c. and therefore Loe here I am ready Psal 40. 6 7 8. Heb. 10. 4 5 6 7 8 9. to do what ever thou commandest and ready to suffer whatsoever thou pleasest I am willing to be reckoned a sinner that they may be reckoned righteous I am willing to be accounted cursed that they may be for ever blessed I am willing to pay all their debts that they may be set at liberty I am willing to lay down my life that John 10. 11 15 17 18. Rev. 20. 6. they may escape the second death I am willing that my soul should be exercised with the most hideous Agonies that their souls may be possessed of heaven's happinesses Oh what wonderful wisdom grace and love is here manifested that when we were neither able to satisfie the penalty of the Law or to bring a conformity to it that then Christ should interpose and become both redemption and righteousness for us Now from the imputed righteousness of Christ a believer may form up this fifth plea as to all the ten Scriptures Eâ—cles 11. 9. cap. 12. 14. Mat. 12. 14. cap. 18. 23. Luk. 16. 3. Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Heb. 9. 27. cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 4. 5. in the margent that refer to the great day of account Oh blessed God thou hast given me to understand that the mediatory righteousness of Christ includes first the habitual holiness of his person in the absense of all sin and in the rich and plentiful presence of all holy and requisite qualities Secondly the actual holiness of his life and death by obedience By his active obedience he perfectly fulfilled the commands of the Law and by his passive obedience his voluntary sufferings he satisfied the penalty and commination of the Law for transgressions That perfect satisfaction to divine justice in whatsoever it requires either in way of punishing for sin or obedience to the law made by the Lord Jesus Christ God and man the Mediator of the new Covenant as a common head representing all those whom the father hath given to him and made over unto them that believe in him This is that righteousness that is imputed to all believers in their Justification and this imputed righteousness of thy dear son and my dear saviour is now my plea before thy bar of Justice Imputed righteousness is the same materially with that which the Law requireth The Righteousness which the Law requireth upon pain of damnation is a perfect obedience conformity to the whole Law of God performed by every son and daughter of Adam in his own person Now imputed righteousness is the same materially with that which the Law requireth it is obedience to the Law of God exactly and punctually performed to the very utmost Iota and tittle thereof without the least abatement Christ hath paid the uttermost farthing He is the fulfilling of the Law for righteousness and he hath fulfilled the Law in the humane nature to the intent that it might be fulfilled in the same nature to which it was at first given and all this he hath expresly done in all their names and on all their behalfs that believe in him That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in them Rom. 8. 3 4. It is as if our dear Lord Jesus had said oh blessed father this I suffer and this I do to the use and in the stead and room of all those that have ventured their souls upon me that they may have a righteousness which they may truly call their own and on which they may safely rest and in which they may for ever glory Isa 45. 24 25. Now it will never stand with the unspotted holiness justice and righteousness of God to reject this righteousness of his son or that plea that is bottomed upon it Oh the matchless happiness of believers who have so
Fourthly know for your comfort that this imputed righteousness of Christ will answer to all the fears doubts and objections of your souls How shall I look up to God the answer is in the righteousness of Jesus Christ how shall I have any communion with a holy God in this world the answer is in the righteousnâ—ss of Christ How shall I find acceptance with God the answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I die the answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I stand before a Judgment seat the answer is in the righteousness of Jesus Christ Your sure and only way under all temptations fears conflicts doubts and disputes is by faith to remember Christ and the sufferings of Christ as your Mediator and Surety and say Oh Christ thou art my sin in being made sin for me and thou art my curse being â— Coâ— 5. 21. â—al 3. 13. made a curse for me or rather I am thy sin and thou art my rightcousness I am thy curse and thou art my blessing I am thy death and thou art my life I am the wrath of God to thee and thou art the love of God to me I am thy hell and thou art my heaven Oh sirs if you think of your sins and of God's wrath if you think of your guiltiness and of God's justice your hearts will faint and fail they will fear and tremble and sink into despair if you do not think of Christ if you do not stay and rest your souls upon the mediatory righteousness of Christ The Imputed Righteousness of Christ The Imputed Righteousness of Christ answers all cavils and objections though there were millions of them that can be made against the good estate of a believer This is a precious truth more worth than a world that all our sins are pardoned not only in a way of truth and mercy but in a way of justice Satan and our own consciences will object many things against our souls if we plead only the mercy and the truth of God and will be ready to say oh but where is then the justice of God can mercy pardon without the consent of his justice but now whilst we rest upon the satisfaction of Christ justice and mercy kiss Psal 85. 10. each other yea justice saith I am pleased in a day of temptation many things will be cast in our dish about the multitude of our sins and the greatness of our sins and the grievousness of our sins and about the circumstances and aggravations of our sins but that good word Christ hath redeemed us from all iniquities he hath paid Titus 2. 14. the full price that justice could exact or require and that good word mercy rejoyceth against judgment may James 2. 13. support comfort and bear us up under all The infinite worth of Christ's obedience did arise from the dignity of his person who was God-man so that all the obedience of Angels and men if put together could not amount to the excellency of Christ's satisfaction The righteousness of Christ is often called the righteousness of God because it is a righteousness of God's providing and a righteousness that God is fully satisfied with and therefore no fears no doubts no cavils no objections no disputes can stand before this blessed and glorious righteousness of Jesus Christ that is imputed to us But Fifthly know for your comfort that the imputed righteousness of Christ is the best title that you have to shew for a Kingdom that shakes not for riches that corrupt not Heb. 12. 28. 1 Pet. 1 3 4 5. 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 3 4 for an inheritance that fadeth not away and for an house not made with bands but one eternal in the heavens 'T is the fairest certificate that you have to shew for all that happiness and blessedness that you look for in that other world The righteousness of Christ is your life your joy your comfort your crown your confidence your heaven your all oh that you were still so wise as to keep a fixed eye and an awakened heart upon the mediatory righteousness of Christ for that 's the righteousness by which you may safely and comfortably live and by which you may happily and quietly die It was a very sweet and golden confession which Bernard made when he thought Guliel Aâ—bas in vâ—ta Bern. lib. 1. cap. 12. himself to be at the point of death I confess said he I am not worthy I have no merits of mine own to obtain heaven by but my Lord had a double right thereunto an hereditary right as a son and a meritorious right as a sacrifice he was contented with the one right himself the other right he hath given unto me by the vertue of which gift I do rightly lay claim unto it and am not confounded ah that believers would dwell much upon this that they have a righteousness in Christ that is as full perfect and compleat as if they had fulfilled the Law Christ being the end of the Law for righteousness to believers invests believers with a righteousness every way as compleat as the personal obedience of the Law would Rom. 8. 3 4. have invested them withal yea the righteousness that believers have by Christ is in some respect better than that they should have had by Adam 1. Because of the dignity of Christ's person he being the son of God his righteousness is more glorious than Adam's was his righteousness is called the righteousness of God and we are made the 2 Cor. 5. 21. righteousness of God in him The first Adam was a mere man the second Adam is God and man 2. Because the righteousness is perpetual Adam was a mutable person he lost his righteousness in one day say some and all that glory which his posterity should have possessed had he stood fast in innocency But the righteousness of Christ cannot be lost his righteousness is like himself from everlasting to everlasting 't is an everlasting righteousness when once this white rayment is put upon a believer it Dâ—n 9. 24. can never fall off it can never be taken off This splendid glorious righteousness of Jesus Christs is as really a Rev. 19. 8. believers as if he had wrought it himself A believer is no loser but a gainer by Adam's fall by the loss of Adam's righteousness is brought to light a more glorious and durable righteousness than ever Adam's was and upon the account of an interest in this righteousness a believer may challenge all the glory of that upper world But Sixthly know for your comfort that this imputed righteousness of Christ is the only true basis bottom and ground for a believer to build his happiness upon his joy and comfort upon and the true peace and quiet of his conscience upon what though Satan or thy own heart or the world condemns thee yet in this thou maist rejoyce that God justifies thee you see what a bold challenge Paul
off from the land of the living his life was taken from off the earth 3. As Acts 9. 33. Heb. 9. 14. 2 Pet. 3. 13 this Goat was not killed so Christ through the eternal Spirit offered up himself whereby he was made alive after death Though Christ Jesus died for our sins acording to his his Humanity yet death could not detain him nor overcome him nor keep him prisoner but by vertue of his impassible Deity he rises again and triumphs over Hos 13. 14. death and the grave and over principalities and powers Col. 2. 13. 4. As this Goat went into an inhabitable place so Christ went into heaven whither I go ye cannot come Christ Joh. 13. 33. speaks this not to exclude his Disciples out of heaven Vers 36. but only to shew that their entrance was put off for a time Saints must not expect to go to heaven and rest with Christ till they have fought the good fight of faith 2 Tim. â— 7 8. Heb. 12. 1. 1 Cor. 9 24. Act. 13. 30. finished their course run their race and served their generation Christ's own children by all their studies prayers tears and endeavours cannot get to heaven unless Joh. 14. 1 2 3. Christ come and fetches them thither Christ's own servants cannot get to heaven presently nor of themselves no more than the Jews could do Now if you please to cast your eye upon the Lord Jesus you will find and exact correspondency between the Type and the Antitype the one fully answering to the other Did they carry substitution in them that eminently was in Christ he indeed substituted himself in the sinners room he took our guilt upon him and put himself in our place and died in our stead he died that we might not die Whatever we should have undergone that he underwent in his body and soul he did bear as our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the punishments and torments that were due to us Christ's suffering dying satisfying in our stead is the great Article of a Christian's Faith and the main prop and foundation of the believers hope It is bottomed as an eternal and unmovable truth upon the sure Basis of the blessed Word Substitution in the case of the old sacrifices is not so evidently held forth in the Law but substitution with respect to Christ and his sacrifice is more evidently set forth in the Gospel Ponder seriously upon these Texts Rom. 5. 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly vers 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Herein God lays naked to us the tenderest bowels of his fatherly This shews us the greatness of mans sin and of Christs love of Satans malice and of Gods Justice and it shews us the madness and blindness of the Popish Religion which tellâ— us that some â—â—â— are so light â—enial as that the sprinkling of holy water and ashes will pâ—rge them away compassions as in an Anatomy There was an absolute necessity of Christ's dying for sinners for 1. God's Justice had decreed it 2. His Word had foretold it 3. The Sacrifices in the Law had prefigured it 4. The foulness of mans sin had dâ—served it 5. The Redemption of man called for it 6. The glory of God was greatly exalted by it So 1 Pet. 3. 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust To see Christ the just suffer in the stead of the unjust is the wonderment of Angels and the torment of Devils 1 Pet. 4. 1. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh c. that is in the humane nature for the expâ—ation and taking away of our sins 1 Pet. 2. 21. Because Christ also suffered for us Joh. 10. 11. I lay down my life for the sheep this good Shepherd lays down life for life his own dear life for the life of his sheep Joh. 11. 50. Nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people and that the whole nation perish not that is rather than the whole nation should perish Caiaphas took it for granted that either Christ or their Nation must perish and as he foolishly thought that of two evils he designed the least to be chosen that is that Christ should rather perish than their Nation but God so guided his tongue that he unwittingly by the powerful instinct of the Spirit prophesied of the fruit of Christ's death for the reconciliation and salvation of the elect of God Heb. 2. 9. That he by the grace of God should taste death for every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or for every creature who all these be the Context sheweth 1. Sons that must be led unto glory ver 10. 2. Christ's Brethren ver 11. 3. Such children as are given by God unto Christ ver 13. In all which Scriptures the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used which most commonly notes substitution the doing or suffering of something by one in the stead and place of others and so 't is all along here to be taken But there is another preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that proves the thing I am upon undeniably Matth. 20. 28. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministred unto Matth. 20. 28. but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a Redemptory price a valuable rate for it was the Blood of God wherewith the Church was purchased 1 Tim. 2. 6. Who gave Acts 20. 28. himself a ransom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all the Greek word signifies a counterprice such as we could never have paid but must have remained everlasting prisoners to the wrath and justice of God O sirs Christ did not barely deliver poor captive souls but he delivered them in the way of a ransom which ransom he paid down upon the nail when their ransom was ten thousand talents Matth. 18. 24. and they had not one farthing to lay down Christ stand up in their room and pays the whole ransom Every one knows that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in composition signifies but two things â—ither opposition and contrariety or substitution and â—â—â—autation So that the matter will thus issue 1 Joh. 2. 18. Rom. 1â— 17. Matth. 5. 38. That eiâ—her we must carry it thus That Christ gave himself a ransom against sinners than which nothing can be more absurd and false or else thus That he gave himself a ransom in the room and stead of sinners which is as true as truth it self Certainly no head can invent no heart can conceive nor no tongue can express more clear plain pregnant and apposit words and phrases for the setting forth of Christ's substitution than is to be found in that golden Chapter of Isai 53. In this Chapter as in a holy Armory we
is a Toad hates every Toad and he who hates a Godly man because he is Godly he hates every Godly man and so he who hates sin because 't is sin he hates every sin Rom. 7. 15. What I hate that do I. Thirdly Every Godly man would fain have his sins not only pardoned but destroyed his heart is alienated from his sins and therefore nothing will serve him or satisfie him but the blood and death of his sins Isa 2. 20 chap. 30. 22. Hos 14. 8. Rom. 8. 24. Saul hated David and sought his life and Haman hated Mordâ—cat and sought his destruction and Absalom hated Amnon and kill'd him Julian the Apostate hated the Christians and put many thousands of them to death The great thing that a Christian has in his eye in all the duties he performs and in all the Ordinances that he attends is the blood and death and ruine of his sins Fourthly Every Godly man groans under the burden of sin 2 Cor. 5. 4. For we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened Never did any Porter groan more to be delivered from his heavy burden than a Christian groans to be delivered from the burden of sin the burden of affliction the burden of temptation the burden of desertion the burden of opposition the burden of persecution the burden of scorn and contempt is nothing to the burden of sin ponder upon that Psal 38. 4. and Psal 40. 12. ver and Rom. 7. 24 ver Fifthly Every Godly man combats and conflicts with all known sin In every gracious Soul there is a constant and perpetual conflict The flesh will be still a lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Gal 5. 17 Rom. 7. 22 23. â— King 14. 30. 31. Though sin and grace were not born together and though sin and grace shall never die together yet whiles a Believer lives in this world they must live together and whilst sin and grace do cohabit together they will still be opposing and conflicting one with another Sixthly Every gracious heart is still a crying out against his sins he crys out to God to subdue them he crys out to Christ to crucifie them he crys out to the Spirit to mortifie them he crys out to faithful Ministers to arm him against them and he crys out to sincere Christians that they would pray hard that he may be made Victorious over them Now certainly it is a most sure sign that sin has not gained a mans heart a mans love nor his consent but committed a Rape upon his Soul when he crys out bitterly against his sin It is observable That if the Ravished Virgin under the Law cryed out she was guiltless Deut. 22. 25 26 27. certainly such as cry out of their sins and that would not for all the world indulge themselves in a way of sin such are guiltless before the Lord. That which a Christian does not indulge himself in that he do's not do in divine account But Seventhly The fixed purposes and designs of a Godly man is not to sin Psal 17. 3. I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress that is I have laid my design so as not to sin Though may have many perticular failings yet my general purpose is not to sin Psal 39. 1. I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a Bridle while the wicked is before me When ever a Godly man sins he sins against the general purpose of his Soul David laid a Law upon his tongue he uses three words in the first and second verses to the same purpose which is as if he should say in plain English I was silent I was silent I was silent and all this to express how he kept in his passion that he might not offend with his tongue Though a Godly man sins yet he doth not purpose to sin for his purposes are fixt against sin Holiness is his high-way and as sin is it self a by-way so it is besides his way The honest Traveller purposes to keep straight on his way so that if at any time he misse his way he misses his purpose Though Peter denyed Christ yet he did not purpose to deny Christ yea the setled purpose of his Soul was rather to die with Christ than to deny Christ Math. 26. 35. Peter said unto him Though I should dye with thee yet will I not deny thee Interpreters agree that Peter meant as he speak But Eighthly The setled Resolutions of a gracious heart is not to sin Psal 119. 106. I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy Righteous Judgments Neh. 10. 28 29 30 31. dwell on it Job 31. 1. c. Micha 4. 5. For all people will walk every one in the name of his God and we walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever So Daniel and the 3 Children Blessed Hooper resolves rather to be discharged of his Bishoprick than yield to certain Ceremonies Jerom writes of a brave Woman who being upon the wrack bid her Persecutors do their worst for she was resolved that she would rather die then lye The Prince of Conde being taken Prisoner by Charles the Nineth of France and put to his choyce first whether he would go to Mass or second be put to Death or thirdly suffer perpetual Imprisonment Answered as for the first I will never do by the assistance of Gods grace and as for the other two let the King do with me what he pleaseth for I am very well assured that God will turn all to the best The Heavens shall as soon fall said William Flower to the Bishop that perswaded him to save his life by retracting as I will forsake the Opinion and Faith I am in God assisting of me So Marchus Arethusius chose rather to suffer a most cruel Death than to give one half-penny towards the Building of an Idol Temple So Cyprian when the Emperour in the the way to his Execution said Now I give thee space to consider whether thou wilt obey me in casting a grain of Frankincens into the fire or be thus miserably slain Nay saith he there needs no deliberation in the case There are many thousands of such instances scattered up and down in History Ninethly There is a real willingness in every gracious Soul to be rid of all sin Rom. 7. 24. Hos 14. 2. 8. Job 7. 21. Saving grace makes a Christian as willing to leave his sin as a Slave is willing to leave his Galley or a Prisoner his Dungeon or a Thief his Bolts or a Beggar his Rags Many a day have I sought Death with â—cars saith blessed Cooper not out of impatience dist ust or perturbation but because I am weary of sin and fearful of falling into it Look as the Daughters of Heath even made Rebeccah weary of her life Gen. 27. 46. so Corruptions within makes a gracious Soul even weary of his life
A gracious Soul looks upon sin with as evil and as envious an eye as Saul look'd on David when the evil spirit was upon him O! saith Saul that I was but once well rid of this David and O saith a gracious Soul that I was but once well rid of this proud heart this hard heart this unbelieving heart this unclean heart this earthly heart this froward heart of mine Tenthly Every Godly man complains of his known sins and mourns over his known sins and would be fain rid of his known sins as might be made evident out of many scores of â—cripture 7 Job 21. 51. Psal 14. Hos 2. Eleventhly Every gracious Soul sets himself mostly resolutely valiantly and habitually against his special sins his constitution sins his most prevalent sins Psal 18. 23. I was also upright before him and I kept my self from mine Iniquity Certainly that which is the special sin of a Godly man is his special burden it is not delighted in but lamented there is no sin which costs him so much sorrow as that to which either the temper of his body or the occasions of his life leads him That sin which he finds his heart most set upon he sets his heart his whole soul most against The Scripture gives much evidence that David though a man after Gods own heart was very apt to fall into the sin of Lying he used many unlawful shifts we read of his often faultring in that kind when he was in straits and hard put to it 1 Sam. 21. 2. 8. 1 Sam. 27. 8 10 c. but it is as clear in Scripture that his heart was set against lying and that it was the grief and daily burden of his Soul Certainly that sin is a mans greatest burden and grief which he prays most to be delivered from O! how earnestly did David pray to be delivered from the sin of lying Psal 119. 29. Keep me from the way of lying And as he prayed earnestly against lying so he as earnestly detested it ver 163. I hate and abhor Lying Though Lying was Davids special sin yet he hated and abhorred it as he did Hell it self And he tells us how he was affected or afflicted rather with that sin whatsoever it was which was his Iniquity Psal 31. 10 my life is spent with grief and my years with sighings my strength faileth and my bones are consumed or Moth-eaten as the Hebrew has it here are deep expressions of a troubled Spirit and why all this Mark he gives you the reason of it in the same verse because of mine Iniquity as if he had said there is a base corruption which so haunts and doggs me that my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing He found it seems his heart running out to some sin or other which yet was so far from being a beloved sin a bosom sin a darling sin that it was the breaking of his heart and the consumption of his bones So Psal 38. 18. I will declare mine Iniquity I will be sorry for my sin There is no sin that a gracious heart is more perfectly set against than against his special sin for by this sin God first has been most dishonored and secondly Christ most crucified and thirdly the Spirit most grieved and fourthly Conscience most wounded and fifthly Satan most advantaged and sixthly Mercies most imbittered and seaventhly Duties most hindred and eighthly Fears and doubts most raised and increased and ninethly Afflictions most multiplied and tenthly Death made most formidable and terrible and therefore he breaks out against this sin with the greatest detestation and abhorrency Ephraims special sin was Idolatry Hos 4. 17. he thought the choicest gold and silver in the world hardly good enough to frame his Idols of But when it was the day of the Lords gracious power upon Ephraim than he thought no place bad enough to cast his choicest Idols into as you may see by comparing of these Scriptures together Hos 14. 8. Isa 2. 20. and chap. 30. 22. True grace will make a man stand stoutly and stedfastly on Gods side and work the heart to take part with him against a mans special sins though they be as right hands or right eyes True grace will lay hands upon a mans special sins and cry out to Heaven Lord Crucifie them Crucifie them down with them down with them even to the ground Lord do justice do speedy justice do signal justice do exemplary justice upon these special sins of mine Lord how down root and branch let the very stumps of this Dagon be broken all in pieces Lord curse this wild â—ig-tree that never more fruit may grow thereon But Twelfthly There is no time wherein a gracious Soul cannot sincerely say with the Apostle in that Hâ—b 13. 18. Pray for us for we trust we have a good Conscience in all things willingly to live honestly gracious hearts affect that which they cannot effect So Acts 24. 16. And herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience voyd of offence towards God and towards men in all cases in all places by all means and at all times a sincere Christian labours to have a good Conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Prov. 16. 17. The high-way of the upright is to depart from evil that is it is the ordinary usual constant course of an upright man to depart from evil An honest Traveller may step out of the Kings high-way into a House a Wood a Close but his work his business is to go on in the Kings high-way so the business the work of an upright man is to depart from evil 'T is possible for an upright man to step into a sinful path or to touch upon sinful facts but his main way his principal work and business is to depart from Iniquity as a Bee may light upon a Thistle but her work is to be gathering at flowers or as a Sheep may slip into the dirt but its work is to be grazing upon the Mountains or in the Meadows but Thirteenthly and lastly Jesus Christ is the real Christians only Beloved he is the Saints only darling 2 Can. 3. As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons ver 8. The vâ—yce of my Beloved behold he cometh leaping upon the Mountains and skiping upon the hills ver 9. My Beloved is like a Roe or a young Hart ver 10. My Beloved spake and said unto me Rise up my Love my fair one and come away ver 17. Turn my Beloved and be thou like a Roe or a young Hart upon the Mountains of Bether Can. 4. 16. Let my Beloved come into his Garden and eat his pleasant fruits Seven times Christ is called the Beloved of his Spouse in the fifth of Canticles and twice in the sixth Chapter and four times in the seaventh Chapter and once in the eighth Chapter In this Book of Solomons Song Christ is called the Churches Beloved just twenty
those sad changes and dreadful providences that would have broke a thousand of such mens hearts upon whom God and Conscience could charge beloved sins bosom sins darling sins But Thirdly In the day of death Death is the King of terrors as Job speaks and the terror of Kings as the Philosopher speaks Oh how terrible will this King of terrors be to that man upon whom God and Conscience can charge beloved sins bosom sins darling sins This is certain when a wicked man comes to die all the sins that ever he committed don 't so grieve him and terrifie him so sad him and sink him and raise such horrors and terrors in him and put him into such a hell on this side Hell as his beloved sins his bosom sins his darling sins and had Saints their beloved sins their bosom sins their darling sins Ah what a Hell of horror and terror would these sins raise in their souls when they come to lye upon a dying Bed But now when a Child of God shall lye upon a dying Bed and shall be able to say Lord thou knowest and Conscience thou knowest that though I have had many and great failings yet there are no beloved sins no bosom sins no darling sins that are chargeable upon me Lord thou knowest and Conscience thou knowest 1. That there is no known sin that I don't hate and abhor 2. That there is no known sin that I don't combat and conflict with 3. That there is no known sin that I don't grieve and mourn over 4. That there is no known sin that I would not presently freely willingly and heartily be rid of 5. That there is no known sin that I don 't in some weak measure endeavour in the use of holy means to be delivered from 6. That there is no known sin the effectual subduing and mortifying of which would not administer matter of the greatest joy and comfort to me Now when God and Conscience shall acquit a man upon a dying Bed of beloved sins of bosom sins of darling sins who can express the joy the comfort the peace the support that such an acquittance will fill a man with Fourthly In the day of Account the vâ—ry thoughts of which day too many is more terrible than Death it self such Christians as are Captivated under the power of this opinion viz. That the Saints have their beloved sins their bosom sins their darling sins such cannot but greatly fear and tremble to appear before the Tribunal of God O! saith such poor hearts how shall we be able to answer for beloved sins our bosom sins our darling sins as for infirmities weaknesses and follies that has attended us we can plead with God and tell him Lord when Grace has been weak Corruptions strong Temptations great and thy Spirit withdrawn and we off from our Watch we have been worsted and captivated But what shall we say as to our beloved sins our bosom sins our darling sins O these fill us with terror and horror and how shall we be able to hold up our heads before the Lord when he shall reckon with us for these sins But now when a poor Child of God thinks of the day of Account and is able through grace to say Lord though we cannot clear our selves of infirmities and many sinful weaknesses yet we can comfortably appeal in thee and our Consciences that we have no beloved sins no bosom sins no darling sins O with what comfort confidence and boldness will such poor hearts hold up their heads in the day of Account when a Christian can plead those six things before a Judgment seat that he pleaded in the third particular when he lay upon a dying Bed how will his fears vanish and how will his hopes and and hopes and heart revive and how comfortably and boldly will he stand before a Judgment-Seat But Ninethly This opinion that is now under consideration has a very great tendancy to discourage and deaden the hearts of Christians to the most noble and spiritual duties of Religion viz. 1. Praising of God 2. Delighting in God 3. Rejoycing in God 4. Admiring of God 5. Taking full content and satisfaction in God 6. Witnessing for God his Truth his Ordinances and ways 7. To self-tryal and self-examination 8. To the making of their Calling and Election sure I cannot see with what comfort confidence or courage such souls can apply themselves to the Eight duties last mentioned who lye under the power of this opinion viz. That Saints have their beloved sins their bosom sins their darling sins But now when a Christian is clear and he can clear himself as every sincere Christian can of beloved sins of bosom sins of darling sins how is he upon the advantage ground to fall in roundly with all the Eight duties last mentioned But Tenthly and lastly This opinion that is now under consideration has a very great tendency to discourage multitudes of Christians from coming to the Lords Table I would willingly know with what comfort with what confidence with what hope with what expectation of good from God or of good from the Ordinance can such Souls draw near to the Lords Table who lye under the power of this opinion or perswasion that they carry about with them their bosom sins their beloved sins their darling sins How can such souls expect that God should meet with them in the Ordinance and bless the Ordinance to them How can such souls expect that God should make that great Ordinance to be strengthening comforting refreshing establishing and enriching unto them How can such souls expect that in that Ordinance God should Seal up to them his Eternal Loves their Interest in Christ their Right to the Covenant their Title to Heaven and the Remission of their sins who bring to his Table their beloved sins their bosom sins their darling sins But now when the People of God draw near to the Table of the Lord and can appeal to God that though they have many sinful failings and infirmities hanging upon them yet they have no beloved sins no bosom sins no darling sins that they carry about with them How comfortably and confidently may they expect that God will make that great Ordinance a blessing to them and that in time all those glorious ends for which that Ordinance was appointed shall be accomplished in them and upon them Now by these ten Arguments you may see the weakness and falseness yea the dangerous nature of that opinion that many worthy men have so long Preacht Maintained and Printed to the World viz. That the Saints have their beloved sins their bosom sins their darling sins neither do I wonder that they should be so sadly out in this particular when I consider how apt men are to receive things by Tradition without bringing of things to a strict examination and when I consider what strange definitions of Faith many famous worthy men have given both in their writings and Preachings and when I consider what a
mighty noise many famous men have made about legal preparations before men presume to close with Christ or to give up themselves in a Marriage Covenant to Christ most of them requiring men to be better Christians before they come to Christ than commonly they prove after they are implanted into Christ c. Now though I have said enough I suppose to lay that Opinion asleep that has been last under consideration viz. That the Saints have their beloved sins their bosom sins their darling sins yet for a close of this discourse promise with me these five things First That all Unconverted persons have their beloved sins their bosom sins their darling sins The beloved the bosom the darling sin of the Jews was Idolatry The beloved the bosom the darling sin of the Corinthians was Uncleanness Wantonness 1 Cor. 6. 15. 20. The beloved the bosom the darling sin of the Cretians was Lying 2 Titus 12. Jeroboams beloved sin was Idolatry and Cains beloved sin was Envy and Corahs beloved sin was Gain saying and Esaus beloved sin was Prophaneness and Ishmaels beloved sin was Scossing and Baalams beloved sin was Ambition Simoon and Levios beloved sin was Treachery Manasses beloved sin was Cruelty and Nebuchadnezars beloved sin was Pride and Herods beloved sin was Uncleanness and Judas his beloved sin was Covetousness and the Young mans beloved sin in that 19th of Matthew was Wordly-mindedness c. Secondly Promise this with me that the Elect of of God before their Conversion had their beloved sins Manassâ—s beloved sin was Cruelty and Ephraims beloved sin before Conversion was Idolatry Hos 4. 17. and Zacheus his beloved sin before Conversion was worldly-mindedness and defrauding of others and Pauls beloved sin before Conversion was Persecution and the Jaylors beloved sin before Conversion was Cruolty and Mary Magdolens beloved sin before Conversion was Wantonness and Uncleanness c. Thirdly Premise this with me viz. That after Conversion there is no Sin that the heart of a Christian is more seriously more frequently more resolutely and more perfectly set against than that which was once his beloved Lust The hatred detestation and Indignation of a Converted person breaks out and discovers it self most against that Sin which was once a beloved Sin a bosom Sin a darling Sin his care his fear his jealousie his watchfulness is most exercised against that Sin which was once the darling of his soul The Converted person eyes this Sin as an old Enemy he looks upon this Sin as the Sin by which God has been most dishonoured and his own Conscience most enslaved and his Immortal soul most indangered and Satan most advantaged and accordingly his Spirit rises against it Hos 14. 8. 2. Isa 20. chap. 30. 22. And all Christians experience confirms this truth but of this more before Fourthly After Conversion a Christian endeavours to be most eminent in that particular grace which is most contrary and opposite to that Sin which was once his beloved Sin his bosom Sin his darling Sin Zacheus his boloved Sin was Worldliness and Defrauding but being Converted he labours to excel in restitution and liberality The Jaylors beloved Sin was Severity Cruelty but being Converted he labours to excel in pitty and courtesie Pauls beloved sin was Persecution but being Converted how mightily do's he bestir himself to Convert souls and to edifie souls and to build up souls and to strengthen souls and to establish souls and to encourage souls in the ways of the Lord he gives it you under his own hand That he laboured more abundantly than they all 2 Cor. 11. 23. Austins beloved Sin his bosom Sin his darling sin before his Conversion was Wantonness and Uncleanness but when he was converted he was most careful and watchful to arm against that Sin and to avoid all temptations and occasions that might lead him to it afterwards If a mans beloved Sin before Conversion has been Wordlinesse then after conversion he will labour above all to excel in Heavenly-mindedness or if his Sin his beloved Sin has been Pride then he will labour above all to excel in Humility or if his beloved Sin has been intemperance then he will labour above all to excel in temperance and sobriety or if his beloved Sin has been Wantonness and Uncleanness then he will labour above all to excel in all Chastity and Purity or if his beloved Sin has been Opprâ—ssing of others then he will labour above all to excel in Piety and Compassion towards others or if his beloved Sin has been Hypocrisie then he will labour above all to excel in sincerity c. But Fifthly Though no Godly man though no sincere gracious Christian hath any beloved Sin and bosom darling Sin yet there is no Godly man there is no sincere gracious soul but has some Sin or other to which they are more prone than to others Every real Christian hath his inclination to one kind of Sin rather than another which may be called his special Sin his peculiar Sin or his own Iniquity as David speaks in Psal 18. ver 23. Now the main power of grace and of uprightness is mainly seen and exercised in a mans keeping of himself from his Iniquity Now that specal that peculiar Sin to which a gracious soul may be most pâ—one and addicted to may arise 1. From the temperament and constitution of his body the complexion and constitution of a mans body may be a more prepared instrument for one vice rather than another or 2. It may arise from his particular Calling Christians have distinct and particular Callings that encline them to particular Sins For instance the Souldiers Calling puts him upon Rapine and Violence Luk. 3. 14. Do Violence to no man neither accuse any falsly and be content with your wages And the Trades-mans Calling puts him upon Lying Deceiving Defrauding and over-reaching his Brother And the Ministers Calling puts him upon Flattering of the Gallants and great ones of his Parish and upon pleasing the rest by speaking of smooth things Isa 30. 10. and by sowing of Pillows under their Elbows Ezâ—k 13. 18 20. And the Magistrates Judges and Justices Employments lays them open to Oppression Bribery Injustice c. If Christians are not very much upon their watch their very Callings and Offices may prove a very great snare to their souls Or 3dly It may arise from his outward state condition in this world whether his state be a state of Prosperity or a state of Adversity or whether he be in a Marriage state or in a single state Many times a mans outward state and condition in this world hath a strong influence upon him to encline him to this or that particular sin as best suiting with his condition or 4thly It may arise from distinct and peculiar Ages for it is certain that distinct and peculiar Ages do strongly encline persons to distinct and peculiar Sins Youth enclines to Wantonness and Prodigality and Manhood to Pride and Ambition and
righteousness in him to cloath me c. and therefore I can't but approve of the Lord Jesus as such a good as exceeds all the good that is to be found in Angels and Men the good that I see in Christ doth not only counterpoise but also excel all that real or imaginary good that every I have met with in any thing below Christ Christ must come into the will he must be received there else he is never savingly received Now before the Will will receive him the Will must be certainly informed that he is good yea the best and greatest good or else he shall never be admitted there Let the understanding assent never so much to all propositions concerning Christ as true if the judgment doth not approve of them as good yea as the best good Christ will never be truly received God in his working maintains the faculties of the Soul in their actings as he made them 13thly So far as I know my own heart I am sincerely willing to receive the Lord Jesus Christ in a Matrimonial Covenant according to these Scriptures Hos 2. 19 20. 2 Cor. 11. 2. Isa 54. 5. Isa 61. 10. Isa 62. 5. Cant. 3. 11. c. Through grace I am First Sincerely willing to take the Lord Jesus Christ for my Saviour and Sovereign Lord. So far as I know my own heart I do through mercy give my hearty consent that Christ and Christ alone shall be my Saviour and Redeemer It is true I do duties but the desire of my soul is to do them out of love to Christ and in obedience to his Royal Law and Pleasure I know my best Righteousnesses are but as filthy rags Isa 64. 6. And woe would be to me had I no other shelter or Saviour or resting place for my poor soul than rags than filthy rags And so far as I know my own heart I am sincerely willing to give up my self to the guidance and government of Jesus Christ as my sovereign Lord and King desiring nothing more in this world than to live and die under the guidance and government of his Spirit Word and Grace But Secondly I am willing through grace to give a Bill of Divorce to all other Lovers without exception or reservation So far as I know my own heart I desire nothing more in this world than that God would pull out right-eye sins and cut off right-hand sins I am very desirous through grace to have all sins brought under by the Power Spirit and Grace of Christ but especially my special sins my head corruptions I would have Christ alone to Rule Reign in the haven of my heart without any Competitour But Thirdly I am sincerely willing through Grace to take the Lord Jesus Christ for Better for Worse for Richer for Poorer in Sickness and in Health and in his Strength I would go with him through fire and water resolving through his Grace that nothing shall divide betwixt Christ and my Soul So far as I know my own heart I would have Christ though I beg with him though I go to Prison with him though in agonies in the Garden with him though to the Cross with him But Fourthly So far as I know my own heart I am sincerely willing First to receive the Lord Jesus Christ presently 1 John 12. Secondly to receive him in all his Offices as King Prophet and Priest Col. 2. 6. Acts 5. 31. Thirdly To receive him into every room of my soul to receive him into my understanding mind will affections c. Fourthly To receive him upon his own terms of denying my self taking up his Cross and following of him where-ever he goes Math. 16. 21. Rev. 14. 4. c. Fifthly and lastly So far as I know my own heart I do freely consent 1. To be really Christs 2. To be presently Christs 3. To be wholly Christs 4. To be only Christs 5. To be eminently Christs 6. To be for ever Christs c. Certainly that Christian that has and do's experience the particulars last mentioned under the second question that Christian may safely groundedly boldly and comfortably conclude that his faith is a true justifying saving Faith the Faith of Gods Elect and such a Faith as clearly evidences a gracious Estate and will never leave his Soul short of Heaven Now how many thousand Christians are there that have this Faith that is here described which is doubtless a true justifying saving Faith that gives a man an interest in the person of Christ and in all the blessings and benefits that comes by Christ who yet question whether they have true faith or no partly from weakness partly from temptations and partly from the various definitions that are given of Faith by Protestants both in their Preachings and Writings and it is and must be for a lamentation that in a point of so great moment the Trumpet should give such an uncertain sound The third Question or case is this viz. whether in the great day of the Lord the day of general Judgment or Eccles 11. 9. cap. 12. 14. Matth. 12. 36. cap. 18. 23. in the particular Judgment that will pass upon every soul immediately after death which is the stating of the soul in an Eternal estate or condition either of happiness or misery whether the sins of the Saints the follies and Luk. 16. 2. Rom 14. 10 12. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Heb. 9. 27. cap. 13 17. 1 Pet. 4 5. vanities of Believers the infirmities and enormities of sincere Christians shall be brought into the judgment of discussion and discovery or no Whether the Lord will either in the great day of account or in a mans particular day of account or judgment publickly manifest proclaim and make mention of the sins of his people or no This question is bottomed upon the ten Scriptures in the Margent which I desire the Christian Reader to consult and upon the sad and daily complaints of many dear sincere Christians who frequently cry out O! we can never answer for one evil thought of ten thousand nor we Jâ—â— 9. 3. Psal 19. 12. Psal 143. 2. Ezr 19. 6. can never answer for one idle word of twenty thousand nor we can never answer for one evil action of a hundred thousand and how then shall we stand in Judgment how shall we look the Judg in the Face how shall we be ever able to answer for all our Omissions and for all our Commissions for all our sins of Ignorance and sins against light and knowledge for all our sins against the Law and for all our sins against the Gospel and for all our sins against soveraign Grace and for all our sins against the Remedy against the Lord Jesus and for all the sins of our Infancy of our Youth Heb. 9 27. and of old Age c. What account shall we be able to give up when we come to our particular day of Judg-ment immediately after our death or in the great and general day of account
sins were not pardoned until you do repent then we should be left to an uncertainty whiles our sins be pardoned or when they will be pardoned for it may be long ere we repent as you see in David who lay long under the guilt of Murther and Adultery before he repented and you know Solomon lay long under many high sins before he repented c. and it may be more long ere we do or can know that we do truly repent of our sins But Ninethly If all sins were not forgiven at once then justification is not perfect at once but is more and more increased and perfected as more and more sins are pardoned which cannot consist with the true doctrine of justification Certainly as to the state of justification there is a full and perfect remission of all sins considered under the differences of time past present and to come as in the state of Condemnation there is not any one sin pardoned so in the estate of Justification there is not any one sin but is pardoned for the state of Justification is opposite to all Condemnation and Curse and Wrath. But Tenthly All agree that as to Gods eternal decree or purpose of forgiveness all the sins of his people are forgiven God did not intend to forgive some of their sins and not the rest but an universal and full and compleat forgiveness was fixedly purposed and resolved on by God Forgiveness of sins is a gracious act or work of God for Christ sake discharging and absolving believing and repenting persons from the guilt and punishment of all their sins so that God is no longer displeased with them nor will he ever remember them any more nor call them to an account for them nor condemn them for their sins but will look on them and deal with them as if they had never sinned never offended him Thirdly Consider that at the very moment of a Believers dissolution all his sins are perfectly and fully forgiven all their sins are so fully and finally forgiven them that at the very moment of their souls going out from the body there is not one sin of omission or commission nor any aggravation or least circumstance left standing in the book of Gods remembrance and this is the true reason why there shall not be the least mention made of their sins in their tryal at Christs Tribunal because they were all pardoned fully and finally at the hour of their death all debts were then discharged all scores were then crossed so that in the great day when the Books shall be opened and perused there shall not one sin be found but all blotted out and all reckonings made even in the blood of Christ Indeed if God should pardon some sins and not others he would at the same time be a friend and an enemy and we should be at once both happy and miserable which are manifest contradictions besides God doth nothing in vain But it would be in vain for God to pardon some sins but not all for as one leak in a Ship unstopped will sink the Ship and as one sore or one disease not healed nor cured will kill the body so one sin unpardoned will destroy the soul Fourthly God looks not upon those as Sinners whose sins are pardoned Luk. 7. 37. And behold a Woman in the City which was a sinner A notorious sinner a branded sinner mark it is not said behold a Woman which is a sinner but behold a Woman which was a sinner to note that sinners converted and pardoned are no longer reputed sinners Behold a Woman which was a sinner look as a man when he is cleansed from filth is as if he had never been defiled so when a Sinner is pardoned he is in Gods account as if he had never sinned Hence those phrases in Cant. 4. 7. Thou art all fair my love and there is no spot in thee Col. 2. 10. And ye are compleat in him who is the head of all principality and power as though he had said Because in himself he hath the Well-head of Glory and Majesty the which becometh ours in that he is also the head of his Church Col. 1. 21. And you that were somtime alienated and Enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled ver 22. In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight that is by his Righteousness imputed and imparted Ephe. 5. 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish The word present is taken from the custom of solemnizing a Marriage first the Spouse was woed and then set before her Husband adorned with his Jewels as Rebecca was with Isaacs Rev. 14. 5. And in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God 1. They are without fault by imputation 2. By inchoation Hence Job is said to be a perfect man Job 1. And David to be a man after Gods own heart Act. 13. 22. The forgiven party is now looked upon and received with that love and favour as if he had never offended God and as if God had never been offended by him Hos 14. 1 2 4. Isa 54. 7 8 9 10. Jer. 31. 33 34 36 37. Luk. 15. 19 20 21 22 23. Here the sins of the Prodigal are pardoned and his Father receives him with such expressions of love and familiarity as if he had never sinned against him his Father never so much as objects any one of all his high sinnings against him Hence it is that you read of such sweet kind tender loving comfortable expressions of God towards those whose sins he had pardoned Jer. 31. 16. Refrain thy voyce from weeping and thine eyes from tears verse 20. Is Ephraim my dear Son is he a pleasant Child Math. 9. 2. Son be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee The Schools say that the remission of sins is not only oblativa mali but collativa boni a remotion of guilt but a collation of good Look as he that is legally acquitted of Theft or Murder is no more reputed a Thief or Murdeter so here Isa 50. 20. In those days and in that time saith the Lord the Iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be found for I will pardon them whom I reserve Pardoned sin is in Gods account no sin and the pardoned sinner in Gods account is no sinner as the pardoned debtor is no debtor Where God hath pardoned a man there he never looks upon that man as a siner but as a just man Pardon of sin is an utter abolition of it as it doth reflect upon the person making him guilty and obliging him actually to condemnation in this respect the pardoned man is as free as if he had never sinned Therefore the Believer
reckonings between God and us Therefore it is said That in his blood we have Redemption even the forgiveness of sins Eph. 1. 7. Quest Whether it were not against the justice of God that Q. Christ who was in himself innocent without all sin a Lamb without a spot should bear and endure all thâ—se punishments for us who were the offending and guilty and obnoxious persons only Or if you please thus Whether God was not unjust to give his Son Jesus Christ Q. to be our Surety and Mediator and Redeemer and Saviour for as much as Christ could not be any one of these for and unto us but by a willing susception of our sins upon himself to be for them responsible unto the justice of God in suffering those punishments which were due for our sins I shall speak a few words to this main Question I say then that it is not always and in all cases unjust but it is somtimes and in some cases very just to punish one who is himself Innocent for him or those who are the â—nocent and guilty Grotius in his Book de satisfactione gives divers instances but I shall mention only two First In case of Conjunction where the innocent party and the nocent party do become legally one party and therefore if a Man Marries a Woman indebted he thereupon becomes obnoxious to pay her debts although absolutely considered he was not obnoxious thereunto But Secondly In case of Surety-ship where a person knowing the weak and insufficient condition of another doth yet voluntarily put forth himself and will be bound to the Creditor for him as his Surety to answer for him by reason of which Surety-ship the Creditor may come upon him and deal with him as he might have dealt with the principal Debtor himself and this course we do ordinarily take with Sureties for the recovery of our right without any violation of justice Now both these are exactly applicable to the business in hand for Jesus Christ was pleased to Marry our Nature unto himself he did partake of our flesh and blood and became man and one with us And besides that he did both by the Will of his Father and his own free consent become our Surety and was content to stand in our stead or room so as to be made sin and curse for us that is to have all our debts and sorrows all our sins and punishments laid upon him and did engage himself to satisfie God by bearing and suffering what we should have born and suffered And therefore although Jesus Christ absolutely considered in himself was innocent and had no sin inherent in himself which therefore might make him lyable to Death and Wrath and Curse yet by becoming one with us and sustaining the office of our Surety our sins were laid on him and our sins being laid upon him he made himself therefore obnoxious and that justly to all those punishments which he did suffer for our sins I do confess that had Christ been unwilling and forced into this Surety-ship or had any detriment or prejudice risen to any party concerned in this transaction than some complaint might have been made concerning the Justice of God But First There was a willingness on all sides for the passive work of Christ First God the Father who was the offended party he was willing which Christ assures us of when he said Thy Will be done Math. 26. 42. Act. 4. 25 26 27 28. Secondly We poor Sinners who are the offending party are willing We accept of this gracious and wonderful Redemption and bless the Lord who so loved us as to give his Son for us And thirdly Jesus Christ was willing to suffer for us Behold I come Psal 40. 7. And shall I not drink of the Cup which my Father hath given me to drink Joh. 18. 11. I have a Baptisme to be Baptised with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Luk. 12. 50. He calls the death of his Cross a Baptisme partly because it was a certain immersion into extream calamities into which he was cast and partly because in the Cross He was so to be sprinkled in his own Blood as if he had been drowned and Baptised in it the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here rendred strained signifies to be pained pressed or pent up not with such a grief as made him unwilling to come to it but with such as made him desire that it were once over There seems saith Grotius to be a similitude implyed in the Original word taken from a Woman with Child which is so afraid of her bringing forth that yet she would fain be eased of her burden Joh. 10. 11. I am the good Shepherd The good Shepherd giveth his life for the Sheep Christ is that good Shepherd by an excellency that held not his life dear for his Sheeps safety ver 15. I lay down my life for the Sheep vers 17. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life vers 18. No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self A necessity there was of our Saviours death but it was a necessity of immutability because God had decreed it Act. 2. 23. not of coaction He laid down his life freely He dyed willingly But Secondly No parties whatsoever were prejudiced or lost by it we lost nothing by it for we are saved by his death and reconciled by his death and Christ lost nothing by it ought not Christ to have suffered these things and enter into his glory Luk. 24. 26. The Captain of our Salvation is made perfect through sufferings Heb. 2. 10. You may see Christs glorious Rewards for his sufferings in that Isa 53. 10 11 12. And God the Father lost nothing by it for he is glorified by it I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Joh. 17. 4. Yea he is fully satisfied and repaired again in all the honour which he lost by our sinning I say he is now fully repaired again by the sufferings of Christ in which he found a price sufficient and a Ransom and enough to make peace for ever In the day of account a Christians great plea is that Christ has been his Surety and paid his debts and made up his accounts for him Now from what has been said last a Christian may Eccles 11. 9. cap. 12 14. Math. 12. 1â— cap. 18. 23. Luk. 16. 3. Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 6. 10. Heb. 9. 27 cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet 4. 5. form up this second plea to the ten Scriptures in the Margent that refer either to the general Judgment or to the particular Judgment that will pass upon every Christian immediately after death O blessed Lord upon my first believing and closing with Jesus Christ thou didst justifie me in the Court of glory from all my sins both as to guilt and punishment Upon my first act of believing thou didst pardon all my sins
that appertains to him alone to be able to bring in an everlasting Righteousness and to make reconciliation for Iniquity Dan. 9. 24. It is by Christ alone That they who believe are justified from all things from which they cannot be Ecclâ—s 11 9. cap 12. 14 Matth. 1â— 14. cap. 18. 2â— Luk. 16. 3. Rom. 1â— 10. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10. Heb 9. 27. cap. 13. â—7 1 Pet. 4. 5. justified by the Law of Moses Act. 13. 39. Now from the active obedience of Christ a sincere Christian may form up this third plea as to the ten Scriptures in the Margent that refer either to the general judgment or to the particular judgment that will pass upon every Christian immediately after death O! blessed God thou knowest that Jesus Christ as my Surety did perform all that active obedience unto thy holy and righteous Law that I should have performed but by reason of the in-dwelling power of sin and of the vexing and molesting power of sin and of the captivating power of sin could not There was in Christ an habitual righteousness a conformity of his nature to the holiness of the Law for 1 Pet. 1. 19. he is a Lamb without spot and blemish the Law could never have required so much righteousness as is to be found in him and as for practical righteousness there was never any aberration in his thoughts words or deeds Hâ—b 7. 26. The Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me John 14. 30. The Apostle tells us That we are made the Righteousness of God in him he doth emphatically add that clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 6. 21. in him that he may take away all conceit of inherence in us and establish the Doctrine of imputation As Christ is made sin in us by imputation so we are made righteousness in him by the same way Augustines place which Beza cites is a most full Commentary God the Father saith he made him to be sin who know no sin that we might be the Righteousness of God not our own and in him that is in Christ not in our selves and being thus justified we are so Righteous as if we were Righteousness it self O! holy God Christ my Surety hath universally kept thy Royal Law he hath not offended in any one point yea he hath exactly and perfectly kept the whole Law of God he stood compleat in the whole will of the Father his active obedience was so full so perfect and so adaequate to all the Laws demands that the Law could not but say I have enough I am fully satisfied I have found a Ransom I can ask no more Neither was the obedience of Christ fickle or transient but permanent and constant it was his delight his meat and drink yea his Heaven to be still a doing the will of his Father Assuredly whilst our Lord Joh. 4. 33 34. Jesus Christ was in this world he did in his own person fully obey the Law he did in his own person perfectly conform to all the holy just and righteous commands of the Law Now this his most perfect and compleat obedience to the Law is made over to all his Members to all Believers to all sincere Christians it is reckoned to them it is imputed to them as if they themselves in their own persons had performed it All sound Believers being in Christ as their head and Surety the Laws righteousness is fulfilled in them legally and imputively though it be not fulfilled in them formally subjectively inherently or personally sutable to that of the Apostle That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us mark not by us but in us for Christ in our Nature Râ—m 8 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Beza well tenders 〈◊〉 legis that the right of the Law might be fulfilled in us hath fulfilled the right of the Law and therefore in us because of our communion with him and our ingrafting into him God hath condemned sin the flesh of his Son that all that which the Law by a right could require of us might be performed by him for us so as if we our selves had in our own persons performed the same The Law must have its right before a Sinner can be saved we cannot of our selves fulfil the right of it But here 's the comfort Christ our Surety hath fulfilled it in us and we have fulfilled it in him Certainly whatsoever Christ did concerning the Law is ours by imputation so fully as if our selves had done it Do's the Law require obedience saith Christ I will give it Do's the Law threaten Curses saith Christ Math 3 15. cap. 5 17 18 they shall be borne The precept of the Law saith Christ shall be kept and the promises received and the punishments endured that poor Sinners may be saved Our Righteousness and Title to eternal life do indispensably depend upon the imputation of Christs active obedience to us there must be a perfect obeying of the Law as the condition of life either by the Sinner himself or by his Surety or else no life which doth sufficiently evince the absolute necessity of the imputation of Christs active obedience to us the Sinner himself being altogether unable to fulfil the Law that he may stand Righteous before the great and glorious God Christs fulfilling of it must necessarily be imputed to him in order to righteousness There are two great things which Jesus Christ did undertake for his redeemed ones the one was to make full satisfaction to Divine Justice for all their sins Now this he did by his Blood and Death the other was to yield most absolute conformity to the Law of God both in nature and life by the one he has freed all his Redeemed ones from Hell and by the other he has qualified all his Redeemed ones from Heaven This is my Plea O Lord and by this plea I shall stand Well saith the Lord I accept of this plea as honourable just and righteous Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Secondly As Jesus Christ did for us perform all that active obedience which the Law of God required so he did also suffer all those punishments which we had deserved by the transgression of the Law of God in which respect he is said 2 Cor. 2. 22. To be made sin for us 1 Pet. 2. 24. Himself to bear our sins in his own body on the Tree 1 Pet. 3. 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sin the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God Phil. 2. 8. To humble himself and to become obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Gal. 3. 13. To be made a Curse an Exceration for us Ephe. 5. 2. To give himself for us an Offering and Sacrifice unto God Heb. 9. 15. And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death for the Redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which
a Curse as to himself The Cup which my 〈◊〉 giveth me he drank it I say and drank it 〈◊〉 every drop leaving nothing behind for his Redeem 〈…〉 of Love and Salvation in the Sacramenâ—â— Cup of his own Institution saying This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood for the Remission of sins This 〈◊〉 in remembrance of me 1 Cor. 11. 25. Math. 26. 28. Thus my Friends look upon Christ as Mediator in which capacity only he covenanted with his Father for the Salvation of man-kind and there was not so much as a shadow of any receding from or repenting of what he had undertaken But Secondly As the sufferings of Jesus Christ were very free and voluntary so they were very great and hainous what agony what torment was our Saviour wrackt with how deep were his wounds how weighty his burden how full of trembling his Cup when he lay under the Mountains of the guilt of all the Elect How bitter were his Tears how painful his Sweat how sharp his encounters how dreadful his Death who can impute how many Vials of Gods inexpressible insupportable wrath Christ drank off in that 53. of Isa you may read of despising rejected stripes smilings wounds sorrows bruising chastisement oppression affliction cutting off putting to grief and pouring out of his soul to death all these put together speaks out Christ to be a very great sufferer he was a man of sorrows as if he were a man made up of sorrows as the man of sin as if he were made up of sin as if He were nothing else He knew more sorrows than any man yea than all men ever did 〈◊〉 Iniquity and consequently the sorrows of all men met in him as if he had been their center and he was acquainted with griefs he had little acquaintance else grief was his familiar acquaintance he had no acquaintance with laughter we read not that he laughed at all when he was in the world his other acquaintance stood afar off but grief followed him to the Cross from his Birth to his Death from his Cradle to the Cross from the Womb to the Tomb he was a man of sorrows and never were sorrows like his he might say Never grief or sorrow like mine 'T is indeed impossible to express the sufferings and sorrows of Christ and the Greek Christians used to beg of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that for the unknown sufferings of Christ he would have mercy upon them Though Christs â—â—rings are abundantly made known yet they are but little known eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it or can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what Christ suffered who hath known the power of Gods wrath Christ Jesus knew it for he underwent it his whole life was made up of sufferings He was no sooner born but sufferings came trooping in upon him He was born in an Inn yea in a Stable and had but a Manuger for his Cradle As soon as his Birth was noised abroad Herod under a pretence of worshiping of him had a design to murder him so that his supposed Father was fain to flye into Aegypt to secure his life he was persecuted before he could after the manner of men be sensible of persecution and as he grew up in years so his sufferings grew up with him Hunger and Thrist Travel and Weariness Scorns and Reproaches false Accusations and Contradictions still waited on him and he had not where to lay his head 1 Pet. 3. 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins This is the wonderment of Angels the happiness of fallen man and the torment of Devils c. that Christ hath suffered The Apostles words look like a Riddle Christ hath suffered as if he should say read thou if thou canst what he hath suffered as for my part they are so many that in this short Epistle I have no mind to Record them and they are so grievous that my passionate love won't suffer me to repeat them and therefore I content my self thus abruptly to deliver them Christ hath sufferd Christs sufferings were unspeakable His sufferings were unutterable and therefore the Apostle satisfies himself with this unperfect broken speech Christ hath suffered O what woes and lamentations what crys and exclamations what complaints and sorrows what wringing of hands what knocking of breasts what weeping of eyes what wayling of tongues belong to the speaking and hearing of this doleful Tragedy Even in the Prologue I tremble and at the first entrance I am as at a non-plus that I know not with what woful gesture to act it with what moanful voice to pronounce it with what mournful words with what pathetical speeches with what emphatical phrases with what interrupted accents with what passionate compassionate plaints to express it The multiplicity of the plot and the variety of the acts and scenes is so intricate that my memory falls to comprise it the matter so importent and the story so excellent that my tongue sailâ— to declare it the cruelty so savage and the massacre so barbarous that my heart even fails to consider it Wherefore I must needs content my self with the Apostle here to speak but unperfectly of it and thinks this enough to say Christ hath suffered and well may I think this enough for behold what perfection there is in this seeming imperfect speech For First To say indefinitely he suffered without any limitation of time what is it but to say that he always suffered without exception of time And so indeed the Prophet speaks of him namely That he was a man of sorrows Isa 53. 3. His whole life was fill'd up with sufferings But Secondly To say only he suffered and nothing else what is it but to say that he patiently suffered he never resisted never rebelled never opposed He was led as a Sheep to the slaughter and as a Lamb dumb before the Sheerer so opened he not his mouth Act. 8. 32. Isa 53. 7. And when he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not 1 Pet. 2. 23. But Thirdly To say precisely he suffered and no more what is it but to say that he freely suffered that he voluntarily suffered Christ was under no force no compulsion but freely suffered himself to suffer and voluntarily suffered the Jews to make him suffer having power to quit himself from suffering if he had pleased I lay down my life no man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again Joh. 10. 17. But of this before Fourthly To say plainly he suffered what is it but to say that he Innocently suffered that he wrongfully suffered for had he been a Malefactor or an Offender it should have been said that he was punished or that he was executed but he was full of Innocency he was holy and harmless and so it follows in that 1 Pet. 3. 18. The just for the unjust But
Fifthly To say peremptorily he suffered what is it but to say that he principally suffered that he excessively suffered To say he suffered What is it but to say he was the cheif sufferer the arch sufferer and that not only in respect of the manner of his sufferings that he suffered absolutely so as never did any but also in respect of the measure of his sufferings that he suffered excessively beyond what ever any did And thus we may well understand and take those words He suffered That lamentation of the Prophet Lam. 1. 12. is very applicable to Christ Behold and see if there be any sorrows like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fiorce anger Now is it not enough for the Apostle to say that Christ hath suffered but will you yet ask what But pray Friends be satisfied and rather of the two ask what not for what sufferings can you think of that Christ did not suffer Christ suffered in his Birth and he suffered in his Life and he suffered in his Death he suffered in his Body for he was diversly tormented he suffered in his Soul for his Soul was heavy unto death he suffered in his Estate they parted his Rayment and he had not where to rest his head he suffered in his good Name for he was counted a Samaritan a Devillish Sorcerer a Wine-bibber an Enemy to Caesar c. He suffered from Heaven when he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He suffered from the Earth when being hungry the Fig-tree proved fruitless to him He suffered from Hell Satan assaulting and encountering of him with his most black and horrid temptations He began his life meanly and basely and was sharply persecuted He continued his life poorly and distressedly and was cruelly hated He ended his life wofully and miserably and was most grievously tormented with Whips Thorns Nails and above all with the terrors of his Fathers wrath and horrors of hellish agonies Ego sum qui peccavi I am the man that have sinned but these Sheep what have they done said David when he saw the Angel destroying his people 2 Sam. 24. 17. And the same speech may every one of us take up for our selves and apply to Christ and say I have sinned I have done wickedly but this Sheep what hath he done yea much more cause have we than David had to take up this complaint For First David saw them dye whom he knew to be Sinners but we see him dye who we knew knew no sin 2 Cor. 5. 21. But Secondly David saw them dye a quick speedy death we see him dye with lingering torments He was a dying from six to nine Math. 27. 45 46. Now in this three hours darkness he was set upon by all the powers of darkness with utmost might and malice but he foyled and spoiled them all and made an open shew of them as the Roman Conquerors used to do triumphing over them on his Cross as on his Chariot of State Col. 2. 15. attended by his vanquished Enemies with their hands bound behind them Ephe. 4. 8. But Thirdly David saw them dye who by their own confession was worth ten thousand of them we see him dye for us whose worth admitteth no comparison But Fourthly David saw the Lord of glory destroying mortal men and we see mortal men destroying the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. O how much more cause have we then to say as David I have sinned I have done wickedly but this Innocent Lamb the Lord Jesus what hath he done what hath he deserved that he should be thus greatly tormented Tully though a great Orator yet when he comes to speak of the death of the Cross he wants words to express it Quid dicam in crucem tollere What shall I say of this death saith he But Thirdly As the sufferings of Christ were very great so the punishments which Christ did suffer for our sins these were in their kinds and parts and degrees and proportion all those punishments which were due unto us by reason of our sins which we our selves should otherwise have suffered Whatsoever we should have suffered as Sinners all that did Christ suffer as our Surety and Mediator always excepting those punishments which could not be endured without a pollution and guilt of sinâ— The chasrisement of our peace was upon him Isa 53. 5. And including the punishments common to the nature of man not the personal arising out of imperfection and defect and distemper Now the punishments due to us for sin were corporal and spiritual And again they were the punishments of loss and of sense and all these did Christ suffer for us which I shall evidence by an induction of particulars First That Christ suffered corporal punishments is most clear in Scripture You read of the Injuries to his Person of the Crown of Throns on his Head of the smiting of his Cheeks of spitting on his Face of the scourging of his Body of the Cross on his Back of the Vinegar in his Mouth of the Nails in his Hands and Feet of the Spear in his Side and of his crucifying and dying on the Cross 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who himself in his own body on the Tree bare our sins 1 Cor. 15. 3. Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures Rev. 1. 5. And washed us from our sins in his own Blood Col. 1. 14. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins Math. 26. 28. For this is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Christ suffered derision in every one of his Offices First In his Kingly Office They put a Scepter in his Hand a Crown on his Head and bowed their Knees saying Hail King of the Jews Matth. 27. 29. Secondly In his Priestly Office They put upon him a gorgeous white Robe such as the Priests wore Luk. 23. 11. Thirdly In his Prophetical Office When they had blindfolded him Prophesie say they who it is that smiteth thee Luk. 22. 64. Sometimes they said Thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil Joh. 8. 48. And sometimes they said He is beside himself why hear ye him Mark 3. 21. And as Christ suffered in every one of his Offices so he suffered in every member of his Body in his Hearing by their reproaches and crying Crucifie him Crucifie him In his sight by their Scoffings and scornful gestures In his Smell in his being in that noysome place Gâ—lgotha Math. 27. 33. In his Tast by his tasting of Vinegar mingled with Gall which they gave him to drink Math. 27. 33. In his Feeling by the Thorns on his Head blows on his Cheeks spittle on his Face the Spear in his side and the Nails in his Hands he suffered in all parts and members of his body from head to foot His Head which deserved a better Crown than the best in
the world was Crowned with Thorns and they smote him on the head Osorius writing of the sufferings of Christ saith That the Crown of Throns bor'd his head with seventy-two wounds To see that Head before which Angels cast down themselves and worshiped as I may say Crowned with Throns might well amaze us To see those Eyes that were purer than the Sun put out by the darkness of death To see those Ears which hear nothing to speak to capacity but Hallelujahs of Saints and Angels to hear the Blasphemies of the multitude To see that Face which was fairer than the Sons of men for being born and conceived without sin he was freed from the contagious effects of it Deformity and was most perfectly beautiful Psal 45. 2. Cant. 5. 10. to be spit on by those beastly wretched Jews To see that Mouth and Tongue that spake as never man spake accused for false Doctrines nay Blasphemy To see those Hands which freely swayed the Scepter of Heaven nayled to the Cross To see those Feet like unto fine brass Rev. 1. 15. nayled to the Cross for mans sins Who can behold Christ thus suffering in all the members of his Body and not be struck with astonishment Who can sum up the horrible abuses that were put upon Christ by his base Attendants The Evangelist tells us that they spit in his Face and buffeted him and that others smote him with the palms of their hands saying Prophesie unto us thou Christ who is he that smote thee Math. 26. 67 68. And as Luke adds many other things Blasphemously speak they against him Luk. 22. 65. What those many other things were is not discovered only some antient Writers say That Christ in that night suffered so many and such hideous things that the whole knowledge of them is reserved only for the last day of judgment Mallonius writes thus After Caiphas and the Priests had sentenc'd Christ worthy of death they committed him to their Ministers warily to keep till day and they immediatâ—ly threw him into the Dungeon in Caiphas house there they bound him to a stony pillar with his hands bound on his back and then they fell upon him with their palms and fists Others add That the Souldiers not yet content they threw him into a filthy durty puddle where he abode for the remainder of that night of which the Psalmist seems to speak Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkness and in the deeps and I sink in the deep myre where there is no standing Psal 88. 6. Psal 69. 2. But that you may clearly see what horrible abuses were put upon Christ by his Attendants Consider seriously of these particulars First They spit in his Face Math. 26. 67. Now this was accounted among the Jews a matter of great infamy and reproach Numb 14. And the Lord said to Moses If her Father had spit in her Face should she not be ashamed seven days Spitting in the face among the Jews was a sign of anger shame and contempt Job 30. 10. They abhor me they flye far from me and spare not to spit in my Face The face is the table of beauty or comliness and when it is spit upon it is made the feat of shame Spitting in the face was a sign of the greatest disgrace that could be put upon a person and therefore it could not but be very bitter to Job to see base Beggars spit in that Face that was wont to be honoured by Princes But this we are not to wonder at for there is no indignity so base and ignominious but the choicest Saints may meet with it in and from this evil world Afflicted persons are sacred things and by the Laws of Nature and Nations should not be misused and trampled upon but rather pitied and lamented over But barbarous Miscreants when they have an opportunity they will not spare to exercise any kind of cruelty as you see by their spitting in the very Face of Christ himself I hid not my Face saith Christ from Isa 50. 6. 2. shame and spitting thou I was sairer than the Children of men Psal 45. 2. yet I used no Mask to keep me fair though I was white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand Cant. 5. 10. yet I preserved not my Beauty from their nasty spittle O that that sweet blessed Face of Jesus Christ that is so much honoured and adored in Heaven should ever be spit upon by beastly wretches in this world Secondly They struck him Joh. 18. 22. One of the Officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand saying Answerest thou the high Priest so Because our Saviour gave not the High-Priest his usual titles but dealt freely with him this impious Apparitor or Serjant to curry favour with his Master strikes him with his hand with his rod say some with his stick say others like Master like Man O that that holy Face which was designed to be the object of Heaven in the beholding of which much of the Celestial glory doth consist that that Face which the Angels stare upon with wonder like Infants at a bright Sun-beam should ever be smitten by a base Varlet in the presence of a Judge Among all the sufferings of Christ one would think that there was no great matter in this that a vain Officer did strike him with the palme of his hand yet if the Scriptures are consulted you will find that the Holy Ghost layes a great stress upon it Thus Jeremy He giveth his Check to him that smiteth him he is filled full with reproach Lam. 3. 30. Christ did patiently and willingly take the stripes that vain men did injuriously lay upon him he sustained all kinds of vexations from the hands of all kinds of ungodly ones Thus Micah speaking of Christ saith They shall sinite the Judg of Israel with a rod upon the cheek Mica 5. 1. Hngo by this Judge of Israel understandeth our Lord Jesus Christ who was indeed at his passion contumeliously buffeted and smitten with rods upon the cheek Math. 26. 67. By smiting the Judg of Israel with a rod upon the cheek they express their scorn and contempt of Christ Smiting upon the face the Apostle makes a sign of great reproach 2 Cor. 11. 20. If a man smite you on the face there is nothing more disgraceful saith Chrysostom than to be smitten on the check Christ Hom. 82. in Joh. c. 18. And the diverse reading of the original word do's fully evidence it He struck him with a rod or he struck him with the palm of his han 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say some refers to his being struck with a rod or club or shoe or plantofle others say it refers to his being struck with the palm of mens hands Now of the two it is generally judged more disgraceful to be struck with the palm of the hand than to be struck with either a rod or a shooe and
therefore we read the Text thus He struck Jesus with the palm of his hand that is with open hand or with his hand stretched out Some of the Ancients commenting on this cuff say Let the Heavens be afraid and let the Earth tremble at Christs Crysostâ—m Hom. 81. in John c. 18. patience and this Servants impudence O ye Angels how were ye silent how could you contain your hands when you saw his hand striking at God If we consider him Aug. in Trall 13. saith another who took the blow was not he that struck him worthy to be consumed of fire or to be swallowed up of Earth or to be given up to Satan and thrown down into Hell Bernard saith that his hand that struck Christ was Ber. ser de pas vinc Serm. de pas Ludo de vita Christi armed with an iron glove And Vincentius affirms That by the blow Christ was felled to the Earth And Ludovicus adds that blood gushed out of his mouth and that the impression of the Varlets fingers remained on Christs cheek with a tumour and wan colour If a Subject should but lift up his hand against his Soveraign would he not be severely punished but should he strike him would it not be present death O what desperate madness and wickedness was it then to strike the King of Kings and Lord of Lords whom not only men but the Cherubims and Siraphims Rev. 17. 16. and all the Celestial powers above adore and worship Heb. 1. 6. Those Monsters in that Math. 26. 67. did not only strike Christ with the palm of their hands but they buffeted him also Now some of the Learned observe this difference betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one is given with the open hand the other with the fist shut up and thus they used him at this time they struck him with their fists and so the stroke was greater and more offensive for by this means they made his face to swell and to become full of bunches all over One gives it in thus by these blows of their fists his whole head was swollen his face became black and blew and his teeth ready to fall out of his jaws Very probable it is that with the violence of their stroaks they made him reel and stagger they made his mouth and nose and face to bleed and his eyes to startle in his head Now concerning Christs sufferings on the Cross I shall only hint at a few things and so close up this particular concerning Christs corporeal sufferings take me thus First The death of Christ on the Cross It was a bitter death a sorrowful death a bloody death the bitter thoughts of his sufferings put him into a most dreadful agony Luk. 22. 24. Being in an agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as great drops of blood falling to the ground The Greek word that is here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a striving or wrestling against as two combatants or wrestlers do strive each against other The things which our Saviour strove against was not only the terrour of death as other men are wont to do for then many Christians and Martyrs might have seemed more constant and couragious than he but with the terrible justice of God pouring out his high anger and indignation upon him on the account of all the sins of his chosen that Isa 53 4 5 6. were laid upon him then which nothing could be more dreadful Christ was in a vehement conflict in his soul through the deepest sense of his Fathers wrath against sinners for whom he now stood as a Surety and Redeemer 2 Cor. 5. 21. And for a close of this particular let me say that Gods justice which we have provoked being fully satisfied by the inestimable merit of Christs passion is the surest and highest ground of consolation that we have in this world but for the more full opinion of this blessed Scripture let us take notice of these following particulars First His sweat was as it were blood Some of the Antients looks upon these words only as a similitude or figurative hyberbole it being a usual kind of speech to call a vehement sweat a bloody sweat as he that weeps bitterly is said to weep tears of blood but the most and best of the Antients understand the words in a literal sense and believe it was truly and properly a bloody sweat and with them I close But some will object and say it was sicut guttae sanguinis as it were drops of blood Now to this I answer First If the Holy-Ghost had only intended that sicut for a similitude or hyperbole he would rather have exprest it as it were drops of nature than as it were drops of blood for we all know that sweat is more like to water than to blood But Secondly I answer that sicut as in Scripture-phrase doth not always denote a similitude but somtimes the very thing it self according to the verity of it Take an instance or two instead of many We beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father and their words seemed to them as it were idle tales and they believed them not the words in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the same Certainly Christs sweat in the Garden was a wonderful sweat not a sweat of water but of red gore-blood But Secondly He sweat great drops of blood clotty blood issuing through flesh and skin in great abundance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clottered or congealed blood There is a thin faint sweat and there is a thick clotted sweat in this sweat of Christ blood came not from him in small dews but in great drops they were drops and great drops of blood crassy and thick drops Some read it droppings down of blood that is blood distilling in greater and grosser drops and hence it is concluded as preternatural for though much may be said for sweating blood in a course of Nature according to what Aristotle affirms Arist 〈◊〉 3. de hist Animal c. 29 August h. 14. de civit dei c 24. and Austin saith that he knew a man that could sweat blood even when he pleased it is granted on all hands that in faint bodies a subtile thin blood like sweat may pass through the pores of the skin but that through the same pores crassy thick great drops of blood should issue out it was not it could not be without a miracle Certainly the drops of blood that fell from Christs body were great very great yea so great as if they had started through his skin to out-run the streams and rivers of his Cross But Thirdly These great drops of blood did not only di 〈…〉 llare drop out but decurrere run down like a stream so fast as if they had issued out of most deadly wounds They were great drops of blood falling down to the ground Here is
he died chearfully and comfortably without murmuring or repining O what a wonder of love is this that Jesus Christ who is the Author of life the Fountain of life the Lord of life that he should so freely so readily so cheerfully lay down his life for us c. About four in the Afternoon he was pierced with a Spear and there issued out of his side both blood and water John 19. 34. And one of the Souldiers with a Spear pierced his side and forthwith came thereout blood and water Out of the side of Christ being now dead there issues water blood signifying that he is both our Justification Sanctification Thus was fulfilled that which was long before foretold Zach. 1â— 10. 1 Jâ—◠〈◊〉 Zach. 12 1. They shall by water and by blood Thus was there a Fountain opâ—â—ed to the house of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem even to all the Elect for sin and for uncleanness The Souldiers malice lived when Christ was dead The water and blood forthwith issuing out as soon as 't was pierced with a Spear did evidently shew that he was truely dead The Syriack paraphrase saith he pierced his rib that is the fifth rib where the pericardium lay It is very likely that the very Pericardium was pierced now the Pericardium is a film or skin like unto a Purse wherein is contained clear water to cool the heat of the heart The blood saith one signifies the perfect expiation of the sins of the Church and the water the daily Ambrose on Luk. â—â— washing and purging of it from the remainder of her corruption Water and blood issued on t of Christs side saith another to teach us that Christ justifieth none by his merit but such whom he sanctifieth by his Spirit Christ was pierced with a Spear and water and blood presently issued out of his side that his Enemies might not object that he rose again because he was but half dead on the Cross and being so taken down he revived to testifie the contrary truth John so seriously affirmeth the certainty of his death he being an eye-witness of the streaming out of Christs blood as he stood by Christs Cross O Gates of Heaven O Windows of Paradise O Palace of Refuge O Tower of strength O Sanctuary of the just O flourishing Bed of the Spouse of Solomon Me-thinks I see water and blood running out of his side more freshly than these golden streams which ran out of the Garden of Eden and watered the whole world But here I may not dwell c. But to shut up this particular about five which the Jews call the eleventh and the last hour of the day Christ was taken down and Buried by Joseph and Nichodemus But Thirdly As the death of Christ on the Cross was a lingring death so the death of Christ was a painful death this appears several ways First His Legs and Hands were violently racked and pulled out to the places fitted for his fastenings and then pierced through with Nails his Hands and Feet were nailed which parts being full of sinnews and therefore very tender his pains could not but be very acute and sharpe Secondly By this means he wanted the use both of his Hands and Feet and so he was forced to hang immoveable upon the Cross as being unable to turn any way for his ease and therefore he could not but be under very dolorous pains Thirdly The longer he lived the more he endured for by the weight of his body his wounds were opened and enlarged his Nerves and Veins were rent and torn asunder and his blood gushed out more and more abundantly still Now the invenomed Arrows of Gods wrath shot to his heart this was the direful Catastrophe and caused that vociferation and out-cry upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The Justice of God was now inflamed and heightned to its full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 32. God spared not his Son God would not abate one farthing of the debt But Fourthly He dyed by piece-meals he dyed by little and little he dyed not all at once he that dyed on the Cross was long a dying Christ was kept a great while upon the rack it was full three hours betwixt his affixion and expiration and certainly it would have been longer if he had not freely and willingly given up the Ghost I have read that Andrew the Apostle was two whole days on the Cross before he dyed and so long might Christ have been a dying if God had not supernaturally heightened the degrees of his torment Doubtless when Christ was on the Cross he felt the very pains of Hell though not locally yet equivalently But Fourthly As the death of Christ on the Cross was a painful death so the death of Christ on the Cross was a shameful death Christ was in medio positus he hung between two Thieves as if he had been the principal Malefactor Math. 27. 38. Here they placed him to make the world believe that he was the great ring-leader of such men Christ was crucified in the mid'st as the chief of Sinners that we might have place in the mid'st of Heavenly Angels the one of these Thieves went railing to Hell the Zach. 3 7. other went repenting forth right to Heaven living long in a little time If you ask me the names of these two Thieves who Q. were crucified with Christ I must answer That although the Scripture nominates them not yet some Writers give them these names Dismas and Gâ—smas Dismas the happy and Gesmas the miserable Thief according to the Poet Gesmas damnatur Dismas ad astra levatur That is When Gesmas died to Dives he was sent When Dismas died to Abraham up he went Well might the Lamp of Heaven withdraw its light and mask it self with darkness as blushing to behold the Sun of Righteousness hanging between two Thieves He shall be an Apollo to me that can tell me which was the greater The blood of the Cross or the shame of the Cross Heb. 12. 2. It was a mighty shame that Sauls Sons were 2 Sam. 21. 6. hanged on a Tree O what a shameful death was it for Christ to hang on a Tree between two notorious Thieves But Fifthly and lastly As the death of Christ was a shameful death so the death of Christ was a cursed death Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree The death on Deut. 21. 23. the Tree was Accursed above all kinds of death as the Serpent was Accursed above all Beasts of the field both for Gen. 3. 14. the first transgression whereof the Serpent was the instrument the Tree the occasion Since the death of any Malefactor might be a Monument of Gods Curse for sin it may be questioned why this brand is peculiarly set upon this kind of punishment that he that is hanged is Accursed of God To which I Answer that the reason of this was because this was
esteemed the most shameful the most dishonourable and infamous of all kinds of death and was usually therefore the punishment of those that had by some notorious wickedness provoked God to pour out his wrath upon the whol Land and so were hanged up to appease his wrath as we may see in the hanging of those Princes that were guilty of committing Numb 25. 4. Whordom with the Daughters of Moab and in the hanging of those Sons of Saul in the days of David when 2 Sam. 21. 6. there was a Famine in the Land because of Sauls perfidious oppressing of the Gibeonites nor was it without cause that this kind of death was both by the Israelites and other Nations esteemed the most shameful and accursed because the very manner of the death did intimate that such men as were thus Executed were such execrable and accursed wretches that they did defile the Earth with treading on it and would pollute the Earth if they should dye upon it and therefore were so trussed up in the Ayre as not fit to live amongst men and that others might look upon them as men made spectacles of Gods Indignation and Curse because of the wickedness they had committed which was not done in other kinds of death And hence it was that the Lord God would have his Son the Lord Christ to suffer this kind of death that even hence it might be the more evident that in his death he bare the Curse due to our sins according to that of the Apostle Christ hath Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree The Gal. 3. 13. Chaldee translateth For because he sinned before the Lord he is hanged The Tree whereon a man was hanged the Stone wherewith he was stoned the Sword wherewith he was beheaded and the Napkin wherewith he was strangled they were all Buried that there might be no evil memorial of such a one to say This was the Tree Sword Stone Napkin wherewith such a one was Executed This kind of death was so execrable that Constantine made a Law that no Christian should dye upon the Cross he abolished this kind of death out oâ— his Empire When this kind of death was in use among the Jews it was chiefly inflicted upon Slaves that either falsly accused or treacherously conspired their Masters death But on whomsoever it was inflicted this death in all Ages among the Jews hath been branded with a special kind of ignominy and so much the Apostle signifies when he saith He abased himself to the death even to the Phil. 2. 2. death of the Cross I know Moses's Law speaks nothing in particular of Crucifying yet he doth include the same under the general of hanging on a Tree and some conceive that Moses in speaking of that Curse sore-saw what manner of death the Lord Jesus should die and let thus much sussice concerning Christs sufferings on the Cross or concerning his corporal sufferingâ— I shall now in the second place speak concerning Christs spiritual sufferings his sufferings in his Soul which were exceeding high and great Now here I shall endeavour to do two things First To prove that Christ suffered in his Soul and so much the rather because that the Papists say and write That Christ did not truly and properly and immediatly suffer in his Soul but only by way of simpathy and compassion with his body to the Mystical body and that his bare bodily sufferings were sufficient for mans Redemption 2. That the sufferings of Christ in his Soul were exceeding high and great for the first that Christ suffered in his Soul I shall thus demonstrate First Express Scriptures do evidence this Isa â—3 When thou shalt make his Soul an offering for sin he shall see his Seed c. Joh. 12. 27. Now is my Soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour Math. 26. 37. 38. He began to be sorrowful and very heavy These were but the beginings of sorrow he began c. Sorrow is a thing that drinks up our spirits and he was heavy as seeling an heavy load upon him v. 38. My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Christ was as full of sorrow as his heart could hold every word is Emphatical My Soul his Psal 6â— 1. 2. sorrow pierced his Heaven-born Soul As the Soul was the first Agent in transgression so it is here the first Patient in affliction The sufferings of his body were but Christs Soul was beleagured or compassed round round with sorrow as that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sounds 26 Math. 28 the body of his sufferings the soul of his sufferings were the sufferings of his Soul which was nòw beset with sorrows and heavy as heart could hold Christ was sorrowsul his Soul was sorrowful his Soul was exceeding sorrowsul his Soul was exceeding sorrowful unto death Christs Soul was in such extremity of sorrow that it made him cry out Father if it be possible let this Cup pass and this was with strong cryings and tears To cry and to cry Heb. 5. 7. with a loud voyce argues great extremity of sufferings Mark 14. 33. Mark saith And he began to be amazod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to be very heavy or we may more fully express it thus according to the original He begun to be gastred with wondersul astonishment and to be satiated filled brim full with heaviness a very sad condition All the sins of the Elect like a huge Army meeting upon Christ made a dreadful on-set on his Soul Luk. 22. 43 44. 'T is said He was in an Agony That 's a conflict in which a poor Creature wrestles with deadly pangs with all his might mustring up all his faculties and force to grapple with them and with-stand them Thus did Christ struggle with the Indignation of the Lord praying once and again with more intense fervency O that this Cup may pass away if it be possible let this Cup pass away while yet an Luk 22 42 43. Angel strengthened his outward man from utter sinking in the conslict Now if this weight that Christ did bare had been laid on the shoulders of all the Angels in Heaven it would have sunk them down to the lowest Hell it would have crackt the Axel-tree of Heaven and Earth It made His blood startle out of his body in congealed cloddered heaps The heat of Gods fiery Indignation made his blood to boil up till it ran over yea Divine wrath affrighted it out of its wonted Channel The Creation of Geâ— 1. the world cost him but a word he spake and the world was made but the Redemption of Souls cost him bloody sweats and Soul-distraction What conflicts what struglings with the wrath of God the powers of darkness what weights what burdens what wrath did he undergoe when his Soul
an offering for sin Ergo Christ offered his Soul as well as his Body Again Our Saviour himself saith My Soul is Math. 26. 38. very heavy unto death Certainly it was not the bodily death which Christ seared for then he should have been weaker than many Martyrs yea than many of the Romans who made no more of dying than of dining therefore Christs Soul was verily and properly stricken with heaviness and not with the beholding of bodily torments only as some dream But Fourthly That whereby Adam and we ever since do most properly commit sin by the same hath Christ the second Adam made satisfaction properly for our sin but Adam did and we all do properly commit sin in our souls our bodies being but the instruments Ergo Christ by and in his soul hath properly made satisfaction First The truth of the proposition is confirmed by the Apostle As by one mans disobediâ—nce we are made Sinners so by the Rom. 5 19. obedience of one many shall be made Righteous Christ then satisfied for us by the same wherein Adam disobeyed Nâ—w Adams soul was in the transgression as well as his body and accordingly was Christs very soul in his sufferings and satisfaction and Christ obeyed that is in his soul for obedience belongeth to the soul as one observeth upon those words of the Apostle Phil. 2. 8. He became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Who Agatho Epist ad Constantin upon Phil. 2. 8. doth not understand saith the same Author that obedience doth belong to the humane will That there is a kind of dying in the soul when it is pierced with grief besides the death of the soul either by sin or damnation is not disagreeing to the Scripture Simâ—on saith to Mary A sword shall pierce through thy soul Luk. 2 35. Look as then the body dyeth being pierced with a sword so the soul may be said to dye or languish when it is pierced with grief what else is Crucifying but dying Now the soul is said to be Crucified as is evident by that passage of the Apostle I am Crucified to the World when as yet his body was alive So Ambrose doubts not to say Gal. 6. 14. Mens mea in Christo Crucifixa est My soul was Crucified Ambâ—ose lib. 5. â—â— Luc. in Christ that is Christ in His Soul was Crucified which he calleth our soul because he did assume our soul and body or else where he saith Mea est voluntas quam suam dixit Ambrâ—se lib. 2. de sid c. 3. c. It is my will which he calleth his it is my heaviness which he took with my affections yet was it properly and personally Christs Soul and Will but ours by community of nature Secondly For the Assumption 1. Howsoever it be admitted that the body is the instrument of the soul both in sinning and suffering yet the conclusion is this That because sin is committed in the soul principally and properly therefore the satisfaction must be made in the soul principally and properly If this conclusion be granted we have that we would for the bodily pains affecting the soul are not the proper passions of the soul neither is the soul said to suffer properly when the body suffereth but by way of compassion and consent 2. We grant that in the proper and immediate sufferings of the soul the body also is affected As when Christ was in his Agony in the Garden his whole body was therewith stirred and mâ—â—â— and that it did sweat drops of blood But it is one thing when the grief beginneth immediatly in the soul and so affecteth the body and when the pain is first infliâ—ted upon the body and so worketh upon the soul there the soul suffereth properly and principally of which sufferings we speak here neither properly nor principally which is not the thing in question 3. It is not the reasonable soul that is affected with the body for it is a ground in Philosophy that the soul suffereth not but only the sensitive part But the grief that we speak of that is satisfactory for sin must be in the very reasonable soul where sin took the beginning and so Ambrose saith upon those words of Christ Ambrose de Incarnat cap. 7. My Soul is heavy to death Ad rationabilis assumptionem animae c. naturae humanae refertur affectum It is referred to the assumption of the reasonable soul and humane affection Pride Ambition Infidelity began in Adams soul and had their determination there in the committing of those sins the body had no part indeed with the ear they heard the suggestion of Satan but it was no sin till in their minds they had consented unto it Wherefore seeing the first sin committed was properly and wholly in the soul for the same the soul must properly and wholly satisfie Because sin took beginning from Adams soul the satisfaction also must begin in Christs Soul as Ambrose saith Inciplo in Christo vincere unde in Adam victus sum Ambrose lib 4. in Luc. I begin there to win in Christ where in Adam I was overcome Then it followeth that the sufferings of Christs soul took beginning there and were not derived by simpathy from the stripes and pain of the body We infer then that therefore Christs Soul had proper and immediate sufferings besides those which proceeded from simpathy with his body and all Christs sufferings were satisfactory Ergo Christ did satisfie for our sins properly and immediatly in his soul But if you please take this fourth Argument in another form of words thus The punishment which was pronounced against the first Adam our first Surety and in him against us that same did Christ the second Adam our next and best Surety bear for us or else it must still lye upon us to suffer it But the punishment threatned and denounced against Adam for transgression was not only corporal respecting our bodyes but spiritual also respecting our souls There was a spiritual malediction due unto our souls as well as a corporal c. Look as God put a Sanction on the Law and Covenant of works made with all of us in Adam that he and his should be liable to death both of body and soul which Covenant being broken by sin all Sinners became obnoxious to the death both of body and soul so it was necessary that the Redeemed should be delivered from the death of both by the Redeemers tasting of death in both kinds as much as should be sufficient for their Redemption O Sirs as sin infected the whole Man soul and body and the Curse following on sin left no part nor power of the mans soul free so Justice required that the Redeemer coming in the room of the persons Redeemed should feel the force of the Curse both in body and soul But Fifthly He shall see of the travel of his soul Isa 53. Here the soul is taken properly and the travel of Christs
soul is his sufferings for it follows And he shall bear their Iniquities But Sixthly Christ gave himself for his peoples sins Gal. 1. 9. 6. Ephe. 5. 25. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Who gave himself for our sins Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquities c. but the body only is not himself ergo The Apostle saith Phil. 2. 7. Christus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exinanivit Christ did empty or evacuate himself or as Tertullian expounds it Exhausit Teâ—tâ—llian Conâ—ra Marcian lib. 5. He drew out himself or was exhaust which agrees with the Prophesis of Daniel chap. 9. 26. Mâ—ssias shall have nothing being brought to nothing by his death without life strength esteem honour c. Hence we conclude that if Christ were exhaust upon the Cross if nothing was left him that he suffered in body and soul that there was no part within or without free from the Cross but all was emptied and poured out for our Redemption Again We read That Christ through the eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14 offered himself to God Whatsoever was in Christ did either offer or was offered His eternal Spirit only did offer ergo His whole humane Nature both Body and Soul was offered Thus Origen witnesseth in these words Origen â—om 9 in Levit. Vide quo modo verus pontifex Jesus Christus adsumptâ— batillocarnis humanae c. See how our true Priest Jesus Christ taking the censor of his humane flesh putting to the fire of the Altar that is His magnificent Soul wherewith he was born in the flesh and adding Incense that is an immaculate Spirit stood in the middest between the living and the dead Thus you see that he makes Christs soul a part in the Sacrifice Seventhly and lastly Christs love unto man in suffering for him was in the highest degree and greatest measure that could be as the Lord saith What could I have done any more for my Vineyard that I have not done unto it But if Christ had given his Body only and not his Soul for us he had not done for us all he could and so his love should have been greatly empaired and diminished ergo He gave his Soul also together with his Body to be the full price of our Redemption and certainly the travail and labour of Christs Soul was most acceptable unto God Isa 53. 12. Therefore I will give him a Portion with Isa 35. 12. the great because he hath poured out his Soul unto death c. and bare the sins of many Doubtless the sufferings of Christ in his Soul together with his Body doth most fully and amply commend and set forth Gods great love to poor Sinners Before I close up this particular take a few Testimonies of the Fathers which do witness with us for the sufferings of Christ both in Soul and Body Christ hath taken off us that which he should offer as Ambrose de Incarnat c. 6. proper for us to Redeem us and whatsoever Christ took off us he offered ergo He offered Body and Soul for he took both Another upon these words My Soul is heavy saith Anima Concil Hispalens 2. c. 13. passionibus obnoxia divinitas libra His Soul was subject to passions his Divinity was free c. If nothing were free but his Divine Nature than his Soul was subject to the proper and immediate passions thereof Perspicuum est sicut corpus flagellatum ita animam verè Hierom in 35. cap. Isa doluisse c. It is evident that as his body was whipped so his Soul was verily and truly grieved lest some part of Christs sufferings should be true some part false ergo Christs Soul as properly and truly suffered as his Body the Soul had her proper grief as the Body had whipping the whipping then of the body was not the proper grief of the soul Whole Christ gave himself and whole Christ offered himself ergo He offered his soul not only to suffer by way of compassion with his body as it may be Fulgenâ—ius ad Thâ—aâ—maud lib. 3. answered but he offered it as a Sacrifice and suffered all passions whatsoever incident to the soul The same Author expounds himself further thus Because this God took whole man therefore he shewed in truth in himself the passions of whole man and having a reasonable soul what infirmities soever of the soul without sin he took and bare If Christ then did take and bare all the passions of the soul without sin then the proper and immediate grief and anguish thereof and not the compassion only with the body To these let me add the consent of the reformed Churches French Confes Christ did suffer Harm p. 59. Sect. 6. both in body and soul and was made like unto us in all things Sin only excepted Thomas granteth that Christ Secundum genus passus est 3. Par. qu 46. Artic. 5. omnem passionem humanam in general suffered all humane sufferings as in his soul heaviness fear c. Now the Testimonies of the Fathers and the consent of the reformed Churches affirming the same that Christ was Crucified in his soul and that he gave his soul a price of Redemption for our souls Who can then doubt of this but that Christ verily properly immediately suffered in his soul in all the proper passions thereof as he endured pains and torments in his flesh and if you please this may go for an eighth argument to prove that Christ suffered in his soul Secondly That the sufferings of Christ in his soul were very high and great and wonderful both as to the punishment of loss and as to the punishment of sense all which I shall make evident in these four particulars First That Jesus Christ did suffer dereliction of God really that he was indeed deserted †Forsaken 1. By denying of protection 2. By withdrawing of solace Non solvit unionem sed subtraxit visionâ—m Leo. The Union was not desolved but the beams the influence was restrained forsaken of God is most evident Math. 27. 46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me But to prevent mistakes in this high point seriously consider 1. That I do not mean that there was nay such desertion of Christ by God as did desolve the union of the Natures in the person of Christ For Christ in all his sufferings still remained God and Man Nor 2. Do I mean an absolute desertion in respect of the presence of God For God was still present with Christ in all his sufferings and the God-head did support his Humanity in and under his sufferings but that which I mean is this That as to the sensible and comforting manifestations of Gods presence thus he was for a time left and forsaken of God God for a time had taken-away all sensible consolation and fâ—lt joy from Christs humane soul that so divine justice might in his sufferings be the more fully satisfied In this
desertion Christ is not to be looked upon simply as he is in his own person the Son of the Father in whom he is always well pleased but as he standeth in the room of Sinners Surety and Cautioner Math. 3. 17. Mark 1. 11. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Christ spake these words that thereby he might draw the Jews to a serious consideration and a nim adversion of his death and passion which he underwent not for his own but for our sins Pet. Gal. lib. 8. c. 18. pag 343. paying their debt in which respect it concerned Christ to be dealt with as one standing in our stead as one guilty and paying the debt of being forsaken of God which we were bound to suffer fully and for ever if he had not interposed for us There is between Christ and God 1. An eternal Union natural of the person 2. Of the God-head and Man-hood 3. Of Grace and Protection In this last sense he means forsaken according to his feeling Hence he said Not my Father my Father but my God my God which words are not words of complaining but words expressing his grief and sorrow Our Lord Christ was forsaken not only of all Creature comforts but that which was worse than all of his Fathers favour to his present apprehension left forlorne and destitute for a time that we might be received for ever Christ was for a time left and forsaken of God as David who in this particular was a type of Christs suffering cryed out Psal 22. 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me why art thou so far from my help He was indeed really forsaken of God God did indeed leave him in respect of his sense and seeling So was Christ truly and really forsaken of God and not in colour or shew as some affirm Athanasius speaking of Gods forsaking of Christ saith All things were done naturally and in truth not in opinion or shew Though God did still R liâ—quâ—t Deâ—s dum nâ—n pâ—â—â— â—aâ—h Tâ—â—uâ—â—n continue a God to David yet in Davids apprehension and feeling he was forsaken of God Though God was still a God to Christ yet as to his feeling he was left of God to wrestle with God and to bear the wrath of God due unto us Look as Christ was scourged that we Ambrose might not be scourged so Christ was forsaken that we might not be forsaken Christ was forsaken for a time that we might not be forsaken for ever Fevardentius absolutely denies that Christ did truly complain upon the Cross that he was forsaken of God Fevarden pag â—73 Con 〈…〉 and therefore he thus objecteth and reasoneth If Christ were truly forsaken of God it would follow that the Hypostatical Union was dissolved and that Christ was personally separated from God for otherwise he could not be forsaken To what he objects we thus reply first If Christ had been totally and eternally forsaken the personal union must have been dissolved but upon this temporal and partial rejection or dereliction there followeth not a personal dissolution or general dereliction But secondly As the Body of Christ being without life was still Hypostatically united to the God-head so was the soul of Christ though for a time without feeling of his favour the dereliction of the one doth no more dissolve the Hypostatical Union than the death of the other If life went from the body and yet the Deity was not separated in the personal consecration but only suspended in operation So the feeling of Gods favour which is the life of the soul might be intermitted in Christ and yet the Divine Union not dissolved Thirdly Augustine doth well shew how this may be August lib de 〈◊〉 divin when he saith Passio Christi dulcis fuit divinitatis somnus That the passion of Christ was the sweet sleep of his Divinity like as then in sleep the soul is not departed though the operation thereof be deferred so in Christs sleep upon the Cross the God-head was not separated though the working power thereof were for a time sequestred Look as the Elect Members of Christ may be forsaken though not totally or finally but ex parte in part and for a time and yet their Election remain firm still the same may be the case of our head that he was ex parte de relictus only in part forsaken and for a time always beloved for his own Innocency but for us and in our person as our pledg and Surety deserted There are two kinds of dereliction or forsaking one is for a time and in part so the Elect may be and so Christ was forsaken upon the Cross another which is total final and general and so neither Christ nor his Members never was nor never shall be forsaken Christ in the deepest anguish of his soul is upheld and sustained by his Faith My God my God whereby he sheweth his singular confidence and trust in God notwithstanding the present sense of his wrath But how can Christ be forsaken of God himself being God Quest for the Father Son and Holy-Ghost are all three but one and the same God Yea How can he be forsaken of God seeing he is the Son of God and if the Lord leave not his Children which hope and trust in him how can he forsake Christ his only begotten Son who depended upon him and his mighty power First By God here we are to understand God the Father Answ 1 the first person of the blessed Trinity according to the vulgar and common rule when God is compared with the Son or Holy-Ghost then the Father is meant by this title God not that the Father is more God than the Son for in dignity all the Three Persons are equal but they are distinguished in order only and thus the Father is the first Person the Son the Second and the Holy-Ghost the Third Secondly Our Saviours complaint that he was forsaken Answ 2 must be understood in regard of his humane Nature and not of his God-head although the God-head and Man-hood were never severed from the first time of his Incarnation but the God-head of Christ and so the God-head of the Father did not shew forth his power in his Man-hood but did as it were lye a sleep for a time that the Man-hood might suffer Thirdly Christ was not indeed utterly forsaken of Answ 3 God in regard of his humane Nature but only as it were forsaken that is Although there were some few minutes and moments in which he received no sensible consolations from the Deity yet that he was not utterly forsaken is most clear from this place where he flees unto the Lord as unto his God My God my God as also from his Resurrection the third day Fourthly Divines say that there are six kinds of dereliction Answ 4 or forsakings 1. By dis-union of person and 2. By loss of grace and 3. By diminution and weaknings of grace and 4. By want of assurance
being without sin could neither by Indignation displease his Father nor by Desperation destroy himself So that if you consider either the adjuncts of Hell or the effects then I say we do remove all them as far off from the holy soul of Christ as Heaven is from Hell or the East from the West or darkness from light c. Thirdly Consider the punishment it self Now concerning this we say That our blessed Saviour as in himself he bare all the sins of the Elect. So he also suffered the whole punishment of body and soul in general that was due unto us for the same which we should have endured if he had not satisfied for it and so consequently we affirm that he felt the anguish of soul and horror of Gods wrath and so in soul entred into the torments of Hell for us sustained them and vanquished them One spaking in honour of Christs passion saith Cum iram Dei Calvin in Math. 2â— 39. sibi propositum videret When he saw the wrath of God set before him presenting himself before Gods tribunal loaden with the sins of the whole world it was necessary for him to fear the deep bottomless pit of death Again Calvin in Math. 27. 46. saith the same Author Cum species Christo objecla est c. Such an object being offered to Christs view as though God being set against him he were appointed to destruction he was with horror affrighted which was able an hundred times to have swallowed up all mortal Creatures but he by the wonderful power of his spirit escaped with Victory What dishonour was it to our Saviour Christ saith another to suffer that which was necessary for Fulk in Act 2. Sect. 11. our Redemption namely that torment of Hell which we had deserved and which the Justice of God required that he should endure for our Redemption Or rather what is more to the honour of Christ then that he vouchsafed to descend into Hell for us and to abide that bitter pain which we had deserved to suffer Eternally and what may rather be called Hell then the anguish of soul which he suffered when he being yet God complained that he was forsaken of God O Sirs this we need not fear to confess that Christ bearing our sins in himself upon the Cross did feel himself during that combat as rejected and forsaken of God and accursed for us and the flames of his Fathers wrath burning within him so that to the honour of Christs Passion we confess that our blessed Redeemer refused no part of our punishment but endured the very pains of Hell so far as they tended not neither to the derogation of his Person deprivation of his Nature destruction of his Office c. Here it may be query'd whether the Lord Jesus Christ underwent the idem the very self-same punishment that we should have undergone or only the tantundem that which did amount and was equivalent thereunto To which I Answer That in different respects both may be affirmed The punishment which Christ indur'd if it be considered in its substance kind or nature so 't was the same with that the Sinner himself should have undergone but if it be considered with respect to certain circumstances adjuncts or accidents which attend that punishment as inflicted upon the Sinner so 't was but equivalent and not the same The punishment due to the Sinner was death the curse of the Law upon the breach of the first Covenant now this Christ underwent For Gal. 3. 13. he was made a Curse for us The adjuncts attending this death were the Eternity of it Desperation going along with it c. These Christ was freed from the dignity of his Person supplying the former the sanctity of his Person securing him against the latter therefore in reference unto these and to some other things already mentioned it was but the tantundem not the idem but suppose there had been nothing of sameness nothing beyond equivalency in what Christ suffered yet that was enough for it was not required that Christ should suffer every kind of Curse which is the effect of sin but in the general accursed death Look as in his fulfilling of the Law for us it was not necessary that he should perform every holy duty that the Law requireth for he could not perform that obedience which Magistrates or Married persons are bound to do It s enough that there was a fulfilling of it in the general for us So here it was not necessary that Jesus Christ should undergo in every respect the same punishment which the offender himself was lyable unto but if he shall undergoe so much as may satisfie the Laws threatnings and vindicate the Law-giver in his Truth Justice and Righteous government that was enough Now that was unquestionably done by Christ But some may object and say How could Christ suffer Obj. 1 the pains of the second death without dis-union of the Godhead from the Man-hood for the God-head could not dye Or what interest had Christs God-head in his humane sufferings to make them both so short and so precious and satisfactory to Divine justice for the sins of so many Sinners especially when we consider that God cannot suffer I Answer It followeth not that because Christ is United Answ 1 into one Person with God that therefore he did not suffer the pains of Hell for by the same reason he should not have suffered in his body for the Union of his Person could have preserved him from sufferings in the one as well as in the other and neither God Angels nor Men compelled him to undertake this difficult and bloody work but his own free and unspeakable love to Man-kind as himself declares Joh. 10. 17. Therefore my Father Isa 53. 12. Psal 40. 7 8. Heb. 10. 9 10. loves me because I lay down my life ver 18. No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self If Christ had been constrained to suffer then both men and Angels might fear and tremble but as one saith well Voluntas Bernard sponte morientis placuit Deo The willingness of him that dyed pleased God who offered himself to be the Redeemer of fallen man But secondly I Answer from 1 Joh. 3. 16. Hereby Answ 2 perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us The person dying was God else his person could have done us no good The Person suffering must be God as well as man but the God-head suffered not As if you shoot off a Cannon in the bright ayr the ayr suffers but the light of it suffers not Actions and passions belong to persons Nothing less then that person who is God-Man could bear the brunt of the day satisfie Divine justice pacifie Divine wrath bring in an everlasting Righteousness and make us happy for ever But Thirdly I answer thus Albeit the passion of the humane Nature could not so far reach the God-head of Christ that it
cannot be satisfied for the transgression of the Law but by the death of the Sinner but it doth not require that this should be done in the place of the damned The wicked go to Prison because they do not they cannot make satisfaction otherwise Christ having fully discharged the debt needed not go to Prison Object But the pains and torments that are due to mans Obj. 5 sins are to be everlasting and how then can Christs short sufferings countervail them Answ That Christs sufferings in his soul and body Answ were equivalent to it although to speak properly Eternity is not of the essence of death which is the reward of sin and threatned by God but its accidental because man thus dying is never able to satisfie God therefore seeing he cannot pay the last farthing he is for Math. 18 28. 35. ever kept in Prison Look as eternal death hath in it eternity despair necessarily in all those that so die so Christ could not suffer but what was wanting in duration was supplyed 1. By the immensity of his sorrows conflicting with the sense of Gods wrath because of our sins imputed to him so that he suffered more grief then if the sorrows of all men were put together Christs Hell sorrows on the Cross were meritorious and fully satisfactory Isa 53. for our everlasting punishment and therefore in greatness were to exceed all other mens sorrows as being answerable to Gods justice 2. By the dignity and worth of him that did suffer Therefore the Scripture calls it the blood of God The damned must bear the wrath of God to all Eternity because they can never satisfie the justice of God for sin therefore they must lye by it world without end but Christ hath made an infinit satisfaction in a finit time by undergoing that fierce battel with the wrath of God and getting the Victory in a few hours which is equivalent to the Creatures bearing it and grapling with it everlastingly This length or shortness of durance is but a circumstance not of any necessary consideration in this case Suppose a man indebted a 100 l. and likely to lye in Prison till he shall pay it yet utterly unable if another man comes and lays down the money on two hours warning is not this as well or better done that which may be done to as good or better purpose in a short time what need is there to draw it out at length The justice of the Law did not require that either the Sinner or his Surety should suffer the Eternity of Hells torments but only their extremity it doth abundantly counterpoise the eternity of the punishment that the person which suffered was the eternal God Besides it was impossible that he should be detained under the sorrows of death Act. 2. 24. And if he had been so detained Then he had not spoiled principalities and powers nor triumphed over them Col. 2. 15. but had been overcome and so had not attained his end But Secondly The pains of Hell which Christ suffered though they were not infinit in time yet were they of an infinite price and value for the dignity of the person that suffered them Christs temporal enduring of Hellish sorrows was as effectual and meritorious as if they had been perpetual the dignity of Christs person did bear him out in that which was not meet for him to suffer nor fit in respect of our Redemption for if he should have suffered Eternally our Redemption could never have been accomplished but for him to suffer in soul as he did in body was neither derogatory to his person nor prejudicial to his work Infinitly in time Christ was not to suffer as one well observes Christ dyed secundum tempus Ambrose in 5. ad Rom. 6. in time or according to time Tempora in mundo sunt c. Times are in the world where the Sun riseth and setteth unto this time he dyed but where there is no time there he was found not only living but conquering Christ God-Man suffered punishment in measure infinit and therefore there is no ground why he should endure it eternally and indeed it was impossible that Christ should be Act. 2. 24. holden of Death because he was both the Lord of life and the Lords holy One 1 Cor. 2. 8. Act. 2. 27. But Thirdly If the measure of a mans punishment were infinit the duration needs not be infinit sinful mans measure of punishment is finit and therefore the duration of his punishment must be infinit because the punishment must be answerable to the infinit evil of sin committed against an infinit God O Sirs continual imprisonment in Hell arises from mans not being able to pay the price for could he pay the debt in one year he needs not lye two years in Prison Now the debt is the first and second death and because sinful man cannot pay it in any time he must endure it eternally but now Christ has laid down ready pay upon the nail to the full for all his chosen Ones and therefore it is not reâ—uired of him that he should suffer for ever neither can it stand with the holiness or justice of God to hold him under the second death he having paid the debt to the utmost Farthing Now that he hath fully paid the debt himself witnesseth Joh. 19. 30. saying when he had received the Vinegar It is finished so vers 28. After this Jesus knowing that all things were accomplished Though there are many interpretations given of this place by Augustine Chrysostom Jansenuâ— and others yet doubtless this alone will hold water viz. That the heavy wrath of the Lord which did pursue Christ and the second death which filled him with grievous terrors is now over and past and mans Redemption finished he speaketh here of that which presently should be and in the yielding up his Ghost was accomplished And thus you see that Jesus Christ did feel and suffer the very torments of Hell though not after a Hellish manner and you see also that Christ did not locally descend into Hell Shall we make a few inferences from hence First then O! how should these sad sufferings of Christ for us endear Christ to us O! what precious thoughts should we have of him O! how should we Psal 136. 17 18. prize him how should we honour him how should we love him and how should we be swallowed up in the admiration of him as his love to us has been matchless so his sufferings for us has been matchless I have read of Nero that he had a Shirt made of a Salamanders skin so that if he did walk through the fire in it it would keep him from burning So Christ is the true Salamanders skin that will keep the soul from everlasting burnings Isa 33. 14. and therefore well may Christians cry out with that Martyr None but Christ none but Christ Tigranes in Zenophon Lambert coming to Redeem his Father and Friends with his
after our likeness Gen. 1. 26. which makes a prudent Interpreter think that when they are joyned it is by Hendiadys and that the Andr. Rivet in Gen. Exer 〈…〉 Nihil est in macrocosm 〈…〉 num praeter microcosmum â—avoâ—inus There is nothing in the vast world of Creatures truly great except the little world of man Holy Ghost meaneth an Image most like his own It is exceeding much for mans honour that he is an Epitomy of the world an abridgement of other Creatures partaking with the stones in being with the Stars in motion with the Plants in growing with the Beasts in sense and with Angels in science But his being made after Gods Image is far more You know when great men erect a stately building they cause their own picture to be hung upon it that spectators may know who was the chief founder of it So when God had created the Fabrick of this world the last thing he did was the setting up his own Picture in it Creating man after his own Image When the great Creator went about that noble work that prime piece of making of man He doth as it were call a solemn Counsel of the sacred persons in the Trinity And God said Let us make Man in our Image Gen 1. 26. Man saith one in his Creation is Angelical in his Corruption Diabolical in his Renovation Theological in his Translation Majestical an Angel in Eden a Devil in the World a Saint in the Church a King in Heaven c. Man before his Fall was the best of Creatures but since his Fall he is become the worst of Creatures He that was once the Image of God the glory of Paradise the worlds Lord and the Lords darling is now become an abomination to God a burden to Heaven a Plague to the World and a slave to Satan When Man first came out of Gods Mint he did shine most gloriously as being bespangled with Holiness and clad with the royal Robe of Righteousness his Understanding was filled with knowledge his Will with uprightness his Affections with holiness c. But yet being a mutable Creature and subject to temptations Satan quickly stript him of his happiness and cheated and cousened him of his Imperial Crown as we use to do Children with an Apple If God had created Angels and men immutable he had created them Gods and not Creatures but being made mutable we know they did fall from their primitive purity and glory and we know that out of the whole Host of Angels he kept some from falling and when all mankind was fallen he Redeemed some by his Son Now mark as he shews mercy upon some in their Salvation Rom. 7. 21 22 23. so it is meet that he should glorifie his justice upon others in their Condemnation And because there must be distinct places for the exercise of the one and for the execution of the other which are in God equally infinit by an irrecoverable decree from the foundation of the world a glorious habitation was prepared for the one and a most hideous Dungeon for the other These shall go into everlasting punishment and the Righteous into Math. 25. 6. life Eternal yea so certain are both these places that they were of old prepared for that very purpose Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world and so Depart ye Cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Look as God foresaw vers 41. the different estates and conditions of Men and Angels so he provided for them distinct and different places Doubtless Hell was constituted before Angels or or Men fell Hell was framed before sin was hatched as Heaven was formed and fitted before any of the Inhabitants were produced But Secondly That there is a Hell both the Old and New Testament doth clearly and fully testifie take some instances Psal 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into Hell Sheol is often put for the Grave Psal 16. 10. but not always and all the Nations that forget God in the Hebrew there are two into 's into into Hell that is The Wicked shall certainly be turned into the nethermost Hell yea they shall forcibly be turned into the lowest and darkest place in Hell God will as it were with both hands thrust him In tenebras ex tenebris infelicit ex exclusi in felicius excludendi August into Hell If Sheol here signifie the Grave only what punishment is here threatned to the Wicked which the Righteous is not equally liable to Doubtless Sheol here is to be taken for that prison or place of torment where Divine justice detayns all those in hold that have all their days rebelled against him scorned his Son despised the means of Grace and dyed in open Rebellion against him The Psalmist saith my Author declares the miserable Mollerus condition of all those who live and dye in their sins Aeternis punientur paenis They shall be everlastingly punished And Masculus reads the place thus Animi impiorum cruciatibus debitis apud inferos punientur The souls of the ungodly shall be punished in Hell with deserved torments Certainly the very place in which the wicked shall lodge and be tormented to all Eternity viz. Hell the bottomless Pit a Dungeon of darkness a Lake of fire and brimstone a fiery Furnace will extreamly aggravate the dolefulness of their condition O Sirs were all Vide Bellarm. de Eter Faelâ— the Water in the Sea Ink and every pile of Grass a Pen and every hair on all the mens heads in the world the hand of a ready Writer all would be too short graphically to delincate the nature of this Dungeon where all lost souls must lodge for ever Where is the man who to gain a world would lodge one night in a Room that 's haunted with Devils and is it nothing to dwell in Hell with them for ever So Solomon Prov. 5. 5. saith By death and Hell is in this place meant not only temporal death and the visible grave but also eternal death and hell it self even the place of the damned The Dutch Annotations of the Harlot That her feet go down to death her steps take hold on Hell here Sheol is translated Hell and in the judgment of Lavator is well translated to Foveam vel infernum passus ejus tenebunt which saith he is spoken not so much of natural death as of spiritual and that eternal destruction which followeth thereupon and he gives this for a reason why we should understand the place so Because Whordom being an abominable sin defiling the Members of the Body of Christ dissolving and making void the Covenant between God and Man must needs be accompanied with an equivalent judgment even excluding those that are guilty thereof without Repentance 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. Rev. 21. 27. Heb 13. 4. the Kingdom of Heaven into which pure and undefiled place no unclean
yeâ— the unprofitable servant into outer darkness Into a darkness beyond a darkness into a Dungeon beyond and beneath the prison The darkness of Hell is compared 2. Pet. 2. 4. Juâ—le verâ—â— 6. Acts 12. 10. This priâ—on was without the gate near mount â—alâ—â—ry and it was the loathsoâ—est and vilest prison of all for iâ— it the Thieves who were carried to Calvary to be executed were kep't and Christ alludeth to this prison in that Matth. 8. 12. and that Matth. 22. 13. and that Matth. 25. 30. Cast him into utter darkness Which allusion could not be understood unless there had been a dark prison without the City where was utter darkness to the darkness of those prisons which were often times out of the City By outer darkness the Holy-Ghost Would signifie to us that the wicked should be in a state most remote from all heavenly happiness and blessedness and that they should be expulsed out of the blessed presence of God who is mentium Lumâ—n It is usual among the Greeks by a comparative to set forth the superlative degree by outer darkness we are to understand the greatest darkness that is as in a place most remote from all light They shall be cast into outer darkness that is they shall be cast into the corporal and palpable darkness of the infernal prison Immediately after death Sinners Souls shall be cast into the infernal prison and in the day of judgment both their souls and their bodies shall be cast into outer darkness Darkness is no other thing than a privation of light Now Light is twofold viz. 1. Spiritual as Wisdom Grace Truth now the privation of this light is internal darkness and ignorance in the spirit and inward man 2. There is a sensible and corporal light whose privation is outer darkness and this is the darkness spoken of in the three Scriptures last cited For although there be fire in hell yet it is a dark and smoaky fire and not clear except only so as the damned may see one another for the greater encrease of their misery as some write Now I shall leave the ingenious Reader to conclude as he pleases concerning the place where Hell is desiring and hoping that he will make it the greatest business of his life to escape Hell and to get to Heaven c. Thirdly and Lastly If Jesus Christ did feel and suffer the very torments of Hell though not after a hellish manner then let me infer that certainly the Papists are greatly out they are greatly mistaken and do greatly err who boldly and confidently assert that Christs Soul in substance went really and locally into Hell Bellar. de Christ Animâ— lib. 4. cap. 10. 11 12 13 14 15 16. Teâ— 1. Vide Calvin in Instituâ— lib. 2. cap. 16. Sect. 9. Bellarmine takes a great deal of pains to make good this assertion but this great Champion of the Romish Church may easily be confuted First because that limbus patrum and Christs fetching the fathers from the skirts of Hell about which he makes so great a noise is a meer fable and not bottomed upon any solid grounds of Scripture Secondly because upon Christs dying and satisfying for our sins his soul went that very day into Paradise as Adam sinning was that very day cast out of Luke 23. 43. Gen. 3. 23 24. John 18. 30. Heb. 9. 12. 1 Thâ—s 1. 10. Eph. 4. 8. Heb. 2. 14. 15. Coloss 2. 14. 15. 'T is a plain allusion to the Roman Triumphs where the Victor ascended to the Capitol in a Chariot of State the prisoners following on foot with their hands bound behind them c. Paradise and his soul could not be in two places at once Thirdly because this descent of Christs Soul into Hell was altogether needless and to no end what need was there of it or to what end did he descend not to suffer in Hell for that was finished on the Cross not to redeem or rescue the Fathers out of Hell for the elect were never there and Redemption from Hell was wrought by Christs death as the Scriptures do clearly evidence not to triumph there over the Devils c. For Christ triumphed over them when he was on the Cross Christ in the day of his solemn inauguration into his Heavenly Kingdom triumphed over Sin Death Devils and Hell when Christ was on the Cross he made the Devils a publick spectacle of scorn and derision as Tamerlane did Bajazet the great Turk whom he shut up in an Iron Cage made like a Grate in such sort as thaâ— Turk Hist 220. â—e might on every side be seen and so carried him up and down all Asia to be scorned and derided by his own people By these few hints you may see the vanity and folly of the Papists who tell you that Christs soul in substance went really and locally into Hell I might make other inferences but let these suffice at this time Fourthly As Jesus Christ did feel and suffer the very torments of Hell though not after a hellish manner so Jesus Christ was really certainly made a curse for us Jesus Christ did in his soul and body bear that curse of the Law which by reason of transgression was due to us Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law Gala. 3. 13. being made a curse for us for it is written cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree He saith not Christ was cursed but a curse which is more it shews that the curse of all did lie upon him The death on the tree was accursed above all kinds of deaths as the Serpent was Gen. 3. 14. accursed above all the beasts of the field This Scripture Not that all that are hanged should be damned for the contrary appears in that Luke 23. 43. Neither is hanging in it self or by the law of nature or by civil law more execrable than any other death refers to Deut. 21. 33. His body shall not remain all night upon the tree but thou shalt in any wise hury him that day for he that is hanged is accursed of God The holy and wise God appointed this kind of punishment as being the most cruel and reproachful for a type of the punishment which his Son must suffer to deliver us from the curse Hanging on a tree was accounted the most shameful the most dishonourable the most odious and infamous and accursed of all kinds of death both by the Israelites and other nations because the very manner of the death did intimate that such men as were thus executed were such execrable base vile and accursed wretches that they did defile the earth with treading on it and would pollute the earth if they should die upon it and therefore were hang'd up in the air as persons not fit to converse amongst men or touch the surface of the ground any more But what should be the reason why the ceremonial Law affixed the curse to this death rather than any
other death I answer first because this was reckoned the most shameful and dishonourable of all deaths and was usually therefore the punishment of those that had by some notorious wickedness provoked God to pour out his wrath upon the whole land and so were hanged up to appease his wrath as you may see in the hanging of those Princes that were guilty of committing whoredome with the Daughters of Moab And in the hanging of Saul's seven Num. 25. 4. sons in the days of David when there was a Famine 2 Sam. 21. 6. 7. 8 2. in the land because of Saul's perfidious oppressing of the Gibeonites And in Joshuah's hanging of the five Kings of the Amorites But secondly and mainly it was Josh 16. 26. with respect to the Death Christ was to die God would have his Son the Lord Jesus to suffer this kind of death that hence it might be the more evident that in his death he bare the curse due to our sins according to that of the Apostle Gala. 3. 13. Christ was certainly made that curse which he redeemed us from otherwise the Apostle does not reason either soundly or fairly when he tells us we are redeemed from the curse because Christ was made a curse for us he remitteth that curse to us which he received in himself That Father hit the Bela in 3. ad Galat mark who saith Christus supplicium nostrum sine reatu suscepit ut solveret reatum finiret supplicium Christ hath taken our punishment without guilt to loose the guilt and end the punishment We were subject to the curse because we had transgressed the Law Christ was not subject because he had fulfilled it Eam ergo execrationem Oecumenius in 3. ad Galat. suscepit cui obnoxius non erat quum suspensus suit in ligno ut execrationem solveret quae adversùs nos erat He therefore took that curse to the which he was not subject when he hanged upon the tree to loose the curse which was against us Such a curse or execration was Christ made for us as was that from which he redeemed us and that curse from which he redeemed us was no other than the curse of the Law and that curse of the Law included all the punishment which sinners were to bear or suffer for transgression of the Law of which his hanging on the Cross was a sign and symbol and this curse was Christ made for us that is he did bear and suffer it to redeem us from it Christ was verily made a curse for us and did bear both in his body and soul that curse which by reason of the transgression of the Law was due to us And therefore I may well conclude this head with that saying of Hierome Injuria Domini nostra Hierom. in 3. ad Galat. Gloria The Lords injury is our Glory The more we ascribe to Christs suffering the less remaineth of ours the more painfully that he suffered the more fully are we redeemed the greater his sorrow was the greater our solace his dissolution is our consolation his Cross our Comfort his annoy our endless joy his distress in soul our release his calamity our comfort his misery our mercy his adversity our felicity his Hell our Heaven Christ is not only accursed but a curse and this expression is used both for more significancy and usefulness to note out the truth and realness of the thing and also to shew the order and way he took for bringing us back unto that blessedness which we had lost The Law was our righteousness in our innocent condition and so it was our blessedness but James 1. 24. the first Adam falling away from God by his first transgression plunged himself into all unrighteousness and so inwrapped himself in the curse Now Christ the second Adam that he may restore the lost man into an estate of blessedness he becomes that for them which the Law is unto them namely a curse beginning where the Law ends and so going backward to satisfie the demands Rom. 10. 4. of the Law to the uttermost he becomes first a curse for them and then their righteousness and so their blessedness Now Christs becoming a curse for us stands in this that whereas we are all accursed by the sentence of the Law because of sin he now comes in our room and stands under the stroke of that curse which of right belongs to us So that it lies not now any longer on the backs of poor sinners but on him for Heb. 7. 22. them and in their stead therefore he is called a Surety The Surety stands in the room of a Debtor Malefactor or him that is any way obnoxious to the Law such is Adam and all his posterity We are by the doom of the Law evil doâ—rs Transgressors and upon that score we stand indebted to the Justice of God and lie under the stroke of his wrath Now the Lord Jesus seeing us in this condition he steps in and stands between us and the blow yea he takes this wrath and curse off from us unto himself he stands not only or meerly after the manner of a Surety among men in the case of debt For here the Surety indeed enters bond with the principal for the payment of the debt but yet he expects that the debtor should not put him to it but that he should discharge the debt himself he only stands as a good security No Christ Jesus doth not expect that we should pay the debt our selves but he takes it wholly to himself As a Surety for a Murtherer or Traitor or some other notorious Malefactor that hath broken prison and is run away he lies by it body for body state for state and undergoes whatsoever the Malefactor is chargeable withal for satisfying the Law Even so the Lord Jesus Christ stands Surety for us runnagate Malefactors making himself liable to all that curse which belongs to us that he might both answer the Law fully and bring us back again to God As the first Adam stood in the room of all mankind fallen so Christ the second Adam stands in the room of all mankind which is to be restored he sustains the person of all those which do spiritually descend from him and unto whom he bears the relation of a Head Eph. 1. 22. 23. Christ did actually undergo and suffer the wrath of God and the fearful effects thereof in the punishments threatned in the Law As he became a debtor and was so accounted even so he became payment thereof he was made a sacrifice for sin and bare to the â—ull all that ever Divine Justice did or could require even the uttermost extent of the curse of the Law of God he must thus undergo the curse because he had taken upon him our sin The Justice of the most High God reveiled in the Law looks upon the Lord Jesus as a sinner because he hath undertaken for us and seiseth upon him
Isa 53. 7. 1 Pet. 2. 24. him vers 5. 6. as by the Law of sacrificing of old the sinner was to lay his hands upon the head of the beast Levit. 8. 14. 18. 22. v. confessing his sins and then the beast was slain and offered for expiation thus having the man's sins as it were taken and put upon it and hereby the sinner is made righteous The sinner could never be pardoned nor the guilt of sin removed but by Christ's making his soul an offering for sin what did Christ in special recommend to God when he was breathing out his last gasp but his soul Luk. 23. 46. When Jesus had cried out with a loud voice he said father into thy hands I commend my spirit and having said thus he gave up the Ghost that is to thy safe custody and blessed tuition I commend my soul as a special treasure or Jewel most charily and tenderly to be preserved and kept Luke 2. 52. He increased in wisdom and stature here 's stature for his body and wisdom for his soul his growth in that speaks the truth of the former and his growth in this the truth of the latter his body properly could not grow in wisdom nor his soul in stature therefore he must have both There are two essential parts which make up one of his natures his Manhood viz. soul and body but both of these two of old have been denyed Marcion divests Christ of a body and Apollinaris of a soul and the Arrians held that Christ had no soul but that the Deity was to him instead of a soul and supplyed the office thereof that what the soul is to us and doth in our bodies all that the divine nature was to Christ and did in his body and are there not some among us that make a great noise about a light in them that dash upon the same rock but the choice Scriptures last cited may serve sufficiently to confute all such brain-sick men But Secondly as Christ had a true humane and reasonable soul so Christ had a perfect entire compleat body and every thing which is proper to a body for instance 1. he had blood Heb. 2. 14. He also took part of the same that is of flesh and blood Christ had in him the blood of a man shedding of blood there must be for without it Heb. 9. 22. there is no remission of sin the blood of bruit creatures Heb. 10. 4 5 10. v. could not wash away the blots of reasonable creatures wherefore Christ took our nature that he might have our blood to shed for our sins There is an Emphasis put upon Christ as man in the great business of man's salvation The Man Christ Jesus the remedy carrying in it a suitable 1 Tim. 2. 5. ness to the Malady the sufferings of a man to expiate the sin of man 2. He had bones as well as flesh Luk. 24. 39. A spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have 3. Christ had in him the bowels of a man Phil. 2. 8. which bowels he fully expressed when he was on earth Mat. 12. 18 19 20. nay he retaineth those bowels now he is in heaven in glory he hath a fellow feeling of his people's miseries Acts 9. 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me see Mat. 25. 35. to the end of that chapter though Christ in his glorified state be freed from that state of frailty passibility Mortality yet he still retains his wonted pity 4. He had in him the familiarity of a man how familiarly did Christ converse with all sorts of persons in this world all the Evangelists do sufficiently testifie Man is a sociable and familiar creature Christ became man Heb. 2. 17. that he might be a merciful High Priest Not that his becoming man made him more merciful as though the mercies of a man were more than the mercies of God but because by this means mercy is conveyed more suitably and familiarly to man But Fourthly and lastly our Lord Jesus Christ took our infirmities upon him when Christ was in this world he submitted to the common accidents adjuncts infirmities miseries calamities which are incident to humane nature For the opening of this remember there are three sorts of infirmities 1. There are sinful infirmities Jam. 5. 7. Psal 77. 10. the best of men are but men at the best witness Abraham's unbelief David's security Job's cursing Gen. 20. 2. Psal 30. 6. 7. Job 3. Jen. 4. Jonas his passion Thomas his unbelief Peter's lying c. Now these infirmities Jesus Christ took not upon him for though he was made like unto us in all things yet without sin Heb. 4. 15. 2. There are personal infirmities which from some particular causes befall this or that person as Leprosie blindness dumbness Palsie Dropsie Epilepsie Stone Gout Sickness Christ was never sick sickness arises from the unfit or unequal temperature of the humours or from intemperance of labour study c. but none of these were in Christ he had no sin and therefore no sickness Christ took not the passions or infirmities which were proper to this or that man 3. There are natural infirmities which belong to all Mankind since the fall as hunger thirst wearisomness sorrowfulness sweating bleeding wounds death burial now these natural infirmities that are common to the whole nature these Jesus Christ took upon him as all the Evangelists do abundantly testifie our dear Lord Jesus he lay so many weeks and months in the Virgin 's womb he received nourishment and growth in the ordinary way he was brought forth and bred up just as common infants are he had his life sustained by common food as ours is he was poor afflicted reproached persecuted tempted deserted falsely accused c. he lived an afflicted life and died an accursed death his whole life from the cradle to the cross was made up of nothing but sorrows and sufferings and thus you see that Jesus Christ did put himself under those infirmities which properly belong to the common nature of man though he did not take upon him the particular infirmities of individuums Now what do all these things speak out but the certainty and reality of Christ's Manhood Que. But why must Christ partake of both natures was it absolutely necessary that he should so do An. Yea it was absolutely necessary that Christ should partake of both natures and that both in respect of God and in respect of us First in respect of us and that First because man had sinned and therefore man must 1. 1 Cor. 15. 21. be punished by man came death therefore by man must come the resurrection of the dead man was the offender therefore man must be the satisfier man had been the sinner and therefore man must be the sufferer it is but justice to punish sin in that nature in which it had been committed by man we fell from God and by man we must be brought back to God by the first
Look as he must be more than man that he may be able to suffer that his sufferings may be meritorious so he must be man that he may be in a capacity to suffer die and obey for these are no work for one who is only God A God only cannot suffer a man only cannot merit God cannot obey man is bound to obey wherefore Christ that he might obey and suffer he was man and that he might merit by his obedience and suffering he was God-man just such a person did the work of Redemption call for That Christ's merits might be sufficient he must be God for sufficient merit for Mankind could not be in the person of any mere man no not in Christ himself considered only as man for so all the grace he had he did receive it and all the good he did he was bound to do it for he was made of a woman and made under the Law not only Gal. 4. 4. under the Ceremonial Law as he was a Jew but under the Moral as a man for it is under that Law under which we were and from which we are redeemed therefore Gal. 3. 13. in fulfilling it he did no more than that which was his duty to do he could not merit by it no not for himself much less for others considered only as man therefore he must also be God that the dignity of his person might add dignity and vertue and value to his works in a word Deus potuit sed non debuit homo debuit sed non potuit God could but he should not man should but he could not make satisfaction therefore he that would do it must be both God and man Torris erutus ab igne as the Prophet speaketh Is not this a fire-brand taken out of the fire you know that in a fire-brand taken out of the fire there is fire and wood inseparably mixed and in Christ there is God and man wonderfully united He was God else neither his sufferings nor his merits could have been sufficient and if his could not much less any man 's else for all other men are both conceived and born in Original sin and also much and often defiled with actual sin and therefore we ought for ever to abhor all such popish Doctrines Prayers and Masses for the dead which exalt mans merits man's satisfaction For no man can by Psal 49. 7. 8. v. any means redeem his brother nor give to God a ransom for him for the redemption of their soul is precious and it ceaseth for ever And therefore all the money that hath been given for Masses Dirges Trentals c. hath been cast away for Jesus Christ who is God-man is the only Redeemer and in the other world money beareth no mastery Let me make a few inferences from what has been said and therefore First is it so that Christ is God-man that he is God 1. 1 Pet. 1. 21. and man then let this raise our faith and strengthen our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ faith is built on God Now Jesus Christ is very God and therefore the fittest foundation in the world for us to build our faith upon God manifest in the flesh is a firm basis for faith and comfort Heb. 7. 25. ad plenum saith Erasmus ad perfectum say others He is able to save to the uttermost Christ is a thorow Saviour he saves perfectly and he saves perpetually he never carries on Redemption-work by halves Christ being God as well as man is able by the power of his Godhead to vanquish Death Devils Hell and all the enemies of our Salvation and by the power of his Godhead is able to merit pardon of sin the favour of God the heavenly inheritance and all the glory of the other world for this dignity of his person addeth vertue and Acts 20. 28. efficacy to his death and sufferings in that he that suffered and died was very God therefore God is said to have purchased the Church with his own blood Christ having suffered in our nature which he took upon him that is in his humane soul and body the wrath of God the curse and all the punishments which were due to our sins hath paid the price of our Redemption pacified divine wrath and satisfied divine Justice in the very same nature in which we have sinned and provoked the holy one of Israel so that now all believers may triumphingly say There is no condemnation to us that are in Râ—m 8. 1. v. Christ Jesus Christ having in our nature suffered the whole curse and punishment due to our sins God cannot in justice but accept of his sufferings as a full and compleat satisfaction 1 John 1. 7 9. for all our sins so that now there remaineth no more curse or punishment properly so called for us to suffer either in our souls or bodies either in this life or in the life to come but we are certainly and fully delivered from all not only from the eternal curse and all the punishments and torments of Hell but also from the curse and sting of bodily death and from all afflictions as they are 1 Cor. 15. 55 56. curses and punishments of sin that Jesus who is God-man hath changed the nature of them to us so that of bitter curses and heavy punishments they are become fatherly chastisements the fruits of divine love and the Heb. 12. 5 6 7. Rev. 3. 19. promoters of the internal and eternal good of our souls Oh! how should these things strengthen our faith in dear Jesus and work us to lean and stay our weary souls wholly and only upon him who is God-man and who of God 1 Cor. 1. 30. is made unto us wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption Among the Evangelists we find that Christ had a threefold entertainment among the sons of men some received him into house not into heart as Simon Luk. 7. 44. the Pharisee who gave him no kiss nor water to his feet some neither into heart nor house as the graceless Mat. 8. 34. swinish Gergesites who had neither civility nor honesty some both into house and heart as Lazarus Mary Martha John 11. 16. c. certainly that Jesus who is God-man deserves the best room in all our souls and the uppermost seat in all our hearts But Secondly If Jesus Christ be God-man very God and very man then what high cause have we to observe admire wonder and even stand amazed at the transcendent love of Christ in becoming man Oh! the firstness the freeness the unchangeableness the greatness the matchlesness of Christ's love to fallen man in becoming man men many times shew their love to one another by hanging up one another's pictures in their families but ah what love did Christ shew when he took our nature upon him Heb. 2. 16. For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
to deliver and therefore though he did suffer death for us in the substance of it yet he neither did nor could suffer death in the circumstances of it so as for ever to be held by death for then in suffering death he should not have conquered death nor delivered us from death neither was it necessary to Christ's substitution that he should undergo in every respect the same punishment which the offender himself was liable unto but if he underwent so much punishment as did satisfie the Law and vindicate the Law-giver in his holiness truth justice and righteousness that was enough Now that was unquestionably done by Christ as the Scriptures do abundantly testifie It must be readily granted that Christ was to suffer the whole punishment due unto sin so far as it became the dignity of his person and the necessity of the work but if he had suffered eternally the work of Redemption could never have been accomplished and besides he should have suffered that which could no ways beseem him And therefore the Apostle saith Heb. 2. 10. It became him to be consecrated through sufferings Christ was only to pass through such sufferings as became him who was ordained to be the Prince and Captain of our salvation It became him to be man and it became him in our humane nature to suffer death and it became him to sustain for us the substance of those punishments that we should have undergone and accordingly he did what our sins did deserve and what justice might lay upon us for those sins all that did Christ certainly suffer or bear Jesus Christ did so suffer for our sins as that his sufferings were fully answerable to the demerit of our sins And I think I may safely say that God in justice could not require any more or lay on any one more punishment than Jesus Christ did suffer for our sins and my reason is this because Christ bare all our sins and all our sorrows and was obedient unto the death and made a Isa 53. Gal. 3. 13. curse for us and more than this the Law of God could not require and if Christ did suffer all that the Law of God required then certainly he suffeed so much as did satisfie the justice of God viz. as much punishment as was commensurated with sin But Seventhly and lastly the meritorious cause the main 7. Isa 53. 4 5. There were other subordinate ends of his sufferings as 1. To sanctifie sufferings to us 2. To sweeten sufferings to us 3. To succour us experimentally under all our sufferings Heb. 2. 17 18. 4. That he might be prepared to enter into his glory Luk. 24. 26 5. That he might be a Conquerour over sufferings which was one piece of his greatest glory c. end and the special occasion of all the sufferings of Christ were the sins of his people Christ was our surety and he could not satisfie for our sins nor reconcile us to God without suffering Isa 53. 5. But he was wounded for our transgressions the Hebrew word for wounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a double Emphasis either it may signifie that he was pierced through as with a dart or that he was tormented or pained as women or other creatures are wont to be that bring forth with pain and torment at the time of their travail for the word in the Text last cited comes regularly from a root that signifies properly to be in pain as women are when they bring forth It was our transgressions that gave Christ his deadly wounds it was our sins that smote him and bruised him Look as Zippora said to Moses Exod. 4. 25. Surely a bloody husband art thou to me so may Christ say to his Church surely a bloody spouse hast thou been to me Christ's spouse may look upon him and say It was I that have been that Judas that have betrayed thee it was I that was the souldiers that murdered thee It was my sins that brought all sorrows and sufferings all mischiefs and evils upon thee I have sinned and thou hast suffered I have eaten the sower Grapes and thy teeth were set on edge I have sinned and thou hast died I have wounded thee and thou hast healed me It is the wisdom and oh that it might be more and more the work of every believer to look upon an humble Christ with an humble heart a broken Christ with a broken heart a bleeding Christ with a bleeding heart a wounded Christ with a wounded heart according to that Zech. 12. 10. Christ was wounded bruised and cut off for sinners sins When Christ was taken by the souldiers he said If ye seek me let these go their way Christ was willing that the hurt which sinners had done to God and the debt which they owed to him should be set upon his score and put upon his account and the Apostle mentions it as a remarkable thing That Christ died for the ungodly Rom. 5. 8. The just for the unjust 1 Pet. 3. 18. our sins were the meritorious cause of Christ's sufferings Christ did not suffer for himself for Heb. 4. 15. cap. 7. 26. he was without sin neither was guile found in his mouth The grand design errand and business about which Christ came into the world was to save sinners He had his 1 Tim. 1. 15. Mat. 1. 21. name Jesus because he was to save is people from their sins he died for our sins not only for our good as the final cause but for our sins as the procuring cause of his death He was delivered for our offences Christ died Rom. 4. 25. 1 Cor. 15. 3. for our sins according to the scriptures that is according to what was typified prophesied and promised in the blessed Scriptures Gal. 1. 4. He gave himself for our sins 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body upon the tree by whose stripes ye were healed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole Testament hath not the like two relatives at once in the original as if I should say by whose stripes of his we are healed Peter saith Estius alludes to the stripes that servants receive from their cruel masters therefore he return to the second person ye are healed here you see that the Physician 's blood became the sick man's salve we can hardly believe the power of sword-salve But here is a mystery that only the Gospel can assure us of that the wounding of one should be the cure of another Oh what an odious thing is sin to God that he will pardon none without blood yea without the blood of his dearest son Oh what a Hell of wickedness Heb. 9. 22. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. must there be in sin that nothing can expiate it but the best the purest the noblest blood that ever run in veins Oh what a transcendent evil must sin be that nothing can purge it away but death but the death of the Cross no death but an
accursed death Oh what a Leprosie is sin that it must have blood yea the blood of God to take it away Now thus you have seen 1. That the sufferings of Christ have been free and voluntary and not constrained or forced 2. That they have been very great and heinous 3. That the punishments which Christ did suffer for our sins were in their parts and kinds and degrees and proportion all those punishments which were due unto us by reason of our sins and which we our selves should otherwise have suffered 4. That Jesus Christ did feel and suffer the very torments of Hell though not after a hellish manner 5. That he that did feel and suffer the torments of hell though not after a hollish manner was God-man 6. That the punishments that Christ did sustain for us must be referred only to the substance and not to the circumstances of punishment 7. That the meritorious cause of all the sufferings of Christ were the sins of his people Now to that great question of giving up your account at last according to the import of Eccles 11. 9. cap. 12. 14. Mat. 12. 14. cap. 18. 23. Luk. 16. 3. Ram. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Heb. 9. 27. cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 4. 7. those ten Scripures in the margent you may in the fourth place make this safe noble and happy plea Oh blessed God Jesus Christ hath suffered all those things that were due unto me for my sin he hath suffered even to the worst and uttermost for all that the Law threatned was a curse and Christ was made a curse for me Gal. 3. 13. he knew no sin but was made sin for me 2 Cor. 5. 21. and what Christ suffered he suffered as my surety and in my stead and therefore what he suffered for me is as if I had suffered all that my self and his sufferings hath appeased thy wrath and satisfied thy justice and reconciled thee to my self For God was in Christ reconciling the 2 Cor. 5. 19. world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them And he hath reconciled both Jews and Gentiles unto God in one body on the Cross having slain enmity thereby Jesus Christ took upon him all my sins they were all of them laid upon him and he bare or suffered all the wrath and punishment due for them and he suffered all as my surety in my stead and for my good and thou didst design him for all this and accepted of its sufficient and effectual on my behalf Oh with what comfort courage and confidence may a believer upon these considerations hold up his head in the great day of his account Let me now make a few inferences from the consideration of all the great and grievous sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore First Let us stand still and admire and wonder at the love of Jesus Christ to poor sinners that Christ should rather dye for us than the Angels they were creatures of a more noble extract and in all probability might have brought greater revenues of glory to God yet that Christ should pass by those golden vessels and make us vessels of glory Oh what amazing and astonishing love is this This is the envy of Devils and the admiration of Angels and Saints The Angels were more honourable and excellent creatures than we they were celestial spirits we earthly bodies dust and ashes they were immediate attendants upon God they were as I may say of his privy chamber we servants of his in the lower house of this world farther remote from his glorious presence their office was to sing Hallelujahs Songs of praise to God in the heavenly Paradise ours to dress the Garden of Eden which was but an earthly Paradise they sinned but once and but in thought as is commonly thought but Adam sinned in thought by lusting in deed by tasting and in word by excusing why did not Christ suffer for their sins as well as for ours or if for any why not for theirs rather than ours Even so O Father for so it pleased thee We move this question not as being curious to search thy secret counsels O Lord but that we may be the more swallowed Mat. 11. 26. up in the admiration of the breadth and length and depth and height of the love of Christ which passeth knowledg The Apostle being in a holy admiration of Eph. 3. 18. 19. Christ's love affirms it to pass knowledg that God who is the eternal Being should love man when he had scarce Prov. 8. 30 31. a Being that he should be enamoured with deformity that he should love us when in our blood that he should pity us when no eye pitied us no not our own Oh such was Christ's transcendent love that man's extreme Ezek. 16. misery could not abate it the deploredness of man's condition did but heighten the holy flame of Christ's love 't is as high as Heaven who can reach it 't is as low as Hell who can understand it Heaven through its glory could not contain him man being miserable nor Hell's torments make him refrain such was his perfect matchless love to fallen man that Christ's love should extend to the ungodly to sinners to enemies that were in arms of rebellion against him yea not only so but Rom. 5. 6 8 10. that he should hug them in his arms lodg them in his bosom dandle them upon his knees and lie them to his breasts that they may suck and be satisfied is the highest improvement of love That Christ should come from the Isa 66. 11 12 13. eternal bosom of his father to a Region of sorrow and John 1. 18. Isa 53. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 16. John 17. 5. Mat. 25. death that God should be manifested in the flesh the Creator made a creature that he that was cloathed with glory should be wrapped with rags of flesh that he that filled Heaven should be cradled in a manger that the God of Israel should fly into Egypt that the God of strength should be weary that the judg of all flesh should be condemned that the God of life should be put to death that he that is one with his father should cry out John 19. 41. of misery O my father if it be possible let this cup pass from me that he that had the keys of hell and death Mat. 26. 39. Rev. 1. 18. John 19. 41 42. should lie imprison'd in the Sepulchre of another having in his life time no where to lay his head nor after death to lay his body and all this for man for fallen man for miserable man for worthless man is beyond the thoughts of created natures The sharp the universal and continual sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ from the cradle to the cross does above all other things speak out the transcendent love of Jesus Christ to poor sinners That wrath that great wrath that fierce wrath that pure wrath that infinite wrath that
readiness and resoluteness whatsoever calamities or miseries may attend us for Christ's sake or the Gospel's sake Ah what a shame would it be if we should â—ot be always ready to suffer any thing for his sake who hath suffered so much for our sins as is beyond all conception all expression Never was Jacob more gracious and acceptable to his father Isaac than when he stood before him cloathed in the garments of his rough brother Esau then the father smelling the savour of the elder Gen. 27. 27. brothers garments said Behold the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed And never are we more gracious and acceptable to our heavenly father than when we stand before him cloathed in the rough garments of Christ's afflictions and sufferings Oh Christians all your sufferings for Christ they are but in lets to your glorious reigning with Christ Justin Martyr saith that when the Romans did immortalize their Emperours as they called it they brought one to swear that he see him go to Heaven out of the fire but we may see by an eye of faith the blessed souls of Martyrs fly to heaven like Elias in his fiery charriot or like the Angel that appeared to Manoah in the flames By the consent of the School-men all Martyrs shall appear in the Church triumphant bearing the signs of their Christian wounds about them as so many speaking testimonies of their holy courage that what here they endured in the behalf of their Saviour may be there an addition to their glory But Sixthly hath Jesus Christ suffered such great and grievous things for you Oh then in all your fears doubts and conflicts with enemies within or without fly to the sufferings of Christ as your City of refuge Did Christ endure a most ignominious death for thee did he take on him thy sinful person and bare thy sin and death and cross and was made a sacrifice and curse for thee Oh then in all thy inward and outward distresses shelter Psal 90. 1. Psal 91. 1 4 9. thy self under the wings of a suffering Christ I have read of Nero that he had a shirt made of a Salamander's skin so that if he went through the fire in it it would keep him from burning Oh sirs a suffering Christ is this Salamander's skin that will keep the Saints from burning in the midst of burning from suffering in the Dan. 3. 24. 29. Isa 43. 2. midst of sufferings from drowning in the midst of drowning In all the storms that beat upon your inward or your outward man eye the sufferings of Christ lâ—an upon Zach. 13. 10. Cant. 8. 5. 2 Cor. 2. 14. Eph. 6. 14. the sufferings of Christ plead the sufferings of Christ and triumph in the sufferings of Christ It is storied of a Martyr that writing to his wife where she might find him when he was fled from home oh my dear said he Surius in vita sancti Elzearii if thou desirest to see me seek me in the side of Christ in the cleft of the rock in the hollow of his wounds for there I have made my nest there will I dwell there shalt thou find me and no where else but there In every temptation let us look up to a crucified Christ who is fitted Heb. 2. 17 18. cap. 4. 15 16. and qualified to succour tempted souls oh my soul when ever thou art assaulted let the wounds of Christ be thy City of refuge whither thou maist fly and live Let us learn in every tentation which presseth us whether it be sin or death or curse or any other evil to translate it from our selves to Christ and all the good in Christ let us learn to translate it from Christ to our selves Look as the Burgess of a Town or Corporation sitting in the Parliament house beareth the persons of that whole Town or place and what he saith the whole Town saith and what is done to him is done to the whole Town even so Christ upon the cross stood in our Isa 53. 4 5 6. place and bare our sins and whatsoever he suffered we suffered and when he died all the faithful died with him and in him I have read of a gracious woman who being by Satan strongly tempted replyed Satan if thou hast any thing to say to me say it to my surety who has undertaken all for me who hath paid all my debts and satisfied Divine Justice and set all reckonings even between God and my soul Do your sins terrifie you oh then look up to a crucified Saviour who bare your sins in his own body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. When sin stares you in the face oh then turn your face The strongest Antidote against sin is to look upon sin in the red glass of Christ's blood Auâ—tin to a dying Jesus and behold him with a spear in his side with thorns in his head with nails in his feet and a pardon in his hands Hast thou wounded thy conscience by any great fall or falls O then remember that there is nothing in heaven or earth more efficacious to cure the Bern. Ser. 61. in cant wounds of conscience than a frequent and serious meditation on the wounds of Christ Doth death that rides upon the pale horse look gashly and deadly upon thee Rev. 6. 8. Rom. 5. 6 8. oh then remember that Christ died for you and that by his death he hath swallowed up death in victory Oh 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. remember that a crucified Christ hath stripped death of his sting and disarmed it of all its destroying power death may buzz about our ears but it can never sting our souls Look as a crucified Christ hath taken away the guilt of sin though he hath not taken away sin it self so he hath taken away the sting of death though he hath not taken away death it self He spake excellently that said that is not death but life wbich joyns the dying man to Christ Ambrosius in 1 Tim. 5. 6. Death will blow the bud of Grace into the flower of Glory and that is not life but death that separates the living man from Christ Austin longed to die that he might see that head that was crowned with thorns Did Christ die for me saith one that I might live with him I will not therefore desire to live long from him all men go willingly to see him whom they love and shall I be unwilling to die that I may see him whom my soul loves Bernard would have us never to let go out of our minds the thoughts of a crucified Christ let these says he be meat and drink unto you let them be your sweetness and consolation your honey and your desire your reading and your meditation your contemplation your life death and resurrection certainly he that shall live up to this counsel will look upon the King of terrors as the King of desires Are
Law he did come up to perfect and universal consâ—rmity to it he did whatever the Law enjoyns and he suffered whatever the Law threatens Christ by his active and passive obedience hath fulfilled the Law most exactly and completely Gal. 3. 13. As he was perfectly holy he did what the Law commanded and as he was made a curse he underwent what the Law threatned and all this he did and suffered in our steads and as our Surety what ever Christ did as our Surety he made it good to the full so that neither the righteous God nor yet the righteous Law could ever tax him with the least defect And this must be our great Plea our choice our sweet our safe our comfortable our acceptable Plea both in the day of our particular accounts when we die and in the great day of our account when a crucified Saviour shall judge the World Although sin as an act be transient yet in the guilt of it it lies in the Lord 's high Court of Justice filed upon record against the sinner and calling aloud for deserved punishment saying Man hath sinned and man must suffer for sin but now Christ hath suffered that plea is taken off Lo here saith the Lord the same Nature that sinned suffereth mine own Son being made flesh hath suffered death for sin in the flesh the thing is done the Law is satisfied and so non-suits the action and casts it out of the Court as unjust Thus whereas sin would have condemned us Christ hath condemned sin he hath weakned yea nullified and taken away sin in the guilt and condemning power of it by that abundant satisfaction that he hath given to the Justice of God by his active and passive Obedience so that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus for Rom. 8. 1 3. the blood of the Mediator out-cries the clamour of sin and this must be a Christians joy and triumph and plea in the great day of our Lord Jesus As Christ was made 2 Cor. 5. 21. sin for us so the Lord doth impute the sufferings of Christ to us that is he accepts of them on our behalf and puts them upon our account As if the Lord should say unto every particular believer My Son was thy Surety and stood in thy stead and suffered and satisfied and took away thy sins by his blood and that for thee in his blood I find a ransom for thy soul I do acknowledge my self satisfied for thee and satisfied towards thee and thou art delivered and discharged I forgive thee thy sins and am reconciled unto thee and will save thee and glorifie thee for my Sons sake in his blood thou hast Redemption the forgiveness of thy sins As when Simile a Surety satisfies the Creditor for a debt this is accounted to the Debtor and reckoned as a discharge to him in particular I am paid and you are discharged saith the Creditour so it is in this case I am paid saith God and you are discharged and I have no more to say to you but this Enter into the joy of your Lord Matth. 25. 21. The Fifth Plea that you are to make in order to the 5. Eccles 11. 9. cap. 12. 14. Mat. 12. 14. cap. 18 23. Luk. 16. 3. Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Heb. 9. 27 cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 4 5. Ten Scriptures in the Margin that respects the account that you are to give up in the great day of the Lord is drawn from the imputed Righteousness of Christ to us the Justification of a Sinner in the sight of God upon the account of Christ's Righteousness imputed to him whereby the guilt of sin is removed and the person of the Sinner is accepted as righteous with the God of Heaven is that which I shall open to you distinctly in these following Branches First That the Grace of Justification in the sight of God is made up of Two parts 1. There is Forgiveness of the offences committed against the Lord 2. Acceptation of the person offending pronouncing him a righteous person and receiving him into favour again as if he had never offended This is most clear and evident in the blessed Scriptures First there is an Act of absolution and acquittal from the guilt of sin and freedom from the condemnation deserved by sin the desert of sin is an inseparable accident Rom. 8. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is a forensick word relating to what is in use amongst men in their Courts of Judicature to condemn 'T is the sentence of a Judge decreeing a mulct or penalty to be inflicted upon the guilty Person or concomitant of it that can never be removed it may be truly said of the sins of a justified person that they deserve everlasting destruction but Justification is the freeing of a sinner from the guilt of his iniquity whereby he was actually bound over to condemnation as soon as any man doth sin there is a guilt upon him by which he is bound over to the wrath and curse of God and this guilt or obligation is inseparable from sin the sin doth deserve no less than everlasting damnation Now forgiveness of sin hath a peculiar respect to the guilt of sin and removal of that when the Lord forgives a man he doth discharge him of that obligation by which he was bound over to wrath and condemnation Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus vers 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that justifieth vers 34. who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died Beloved the Lord is a holy and just God and he reveils his wrath from heaven against Rom. 1. 18. Gel. 3. 10. Râ—m 1. 32. Rom. 6. 23. all unrighteousness and there is a curse threatned to every transgression of the Law and when any man sinneth he is obnoxious unto the curse and God may inflict the same upon him but when God forgives sins he therein doth interpose as it were between the sin and the curse and between the obligation and the condemnation When the sinner sins God might say unto him sinner by your sinning you are now fallen into my hands of Justice and for your sins I may according to my righteous Law condemn and curse you for ever but such is my free my rich my sovereign grace that for Christ's sake I will spare you and pardon you and that curse Jer. 31. 20. and condemnation which you have deserved shall never fall upon you Oh! my bowels my bowels are yearning towards you and therefore I will have mercy mercy Jâ—b 33. 13 24 28 30. upon you and will deliver your souls from going down into the pit when the poor sinner is indicted and arraigned at God's bar and process is made against him and he found guilty of the violation of God's holy Law and accordingly judged guilty by God and adjudged to Job
33. 24. everlasting death then mercy steps in and pleads I have found a Ransom the sinner shall not die but live When the Law saith ah sinner sinner thus and thus hast thou transgressed all sorts of duties thou hast omitted and all sorts of sins hast committed and all sorts of mercies thou hast abused and all sorts of means thou hast neglected and all sorts of offers thou hast slighted then God steps in and saith ah sinner sinner what dost thou say what canst thou say to this heavy charge is it true or false with thou grant it or deny it what defence or plea canst thou make for thy self Alas the poor sinner is speechless Mat. 22. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was muzzled or haltered up that is he held his peace as though he had a bridle or a halter in his mouth this is the import of the Greek word here used he hath not one word to say for himself he can neither deny nor excuse or extenuate what is charged upon him why now saith God I must and do pronounce thee to be guilty and as I am a just and righteous God I cannot but adjudg thee to die eternally but such is the riches of my mercy that I will freely justifie thee through the righteousness of my son I will forgive thy sins and discharge thee of that obligation by which thou wast bound over to wrath and curse and condemnation so that the justified person may triumphingly say who is he that condemneth He may read over the most dreadful passages of the Law without being terrified or amazed as knowing that the curse is removed and that all his sins that brought him under the curse are pardoned and are in point of condemnation as if they had never been This is to be justified to have the sin pardoned and the penalty remitted Rom. 4. 5 6 7 8. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justisieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man to whom God imputeth righteousness without works saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin It is observable that what David calleth forgiveness of sin and not imputing of iniquity St. Paul stiles a being justified But Secondly as the first part of Justification consists in the pardon of sin so the second part of Justification consists in the acceptation of the sinners person as perfectly righteous in God's sight pronouncing him such and dealing with him as such and by bringing of him under the shadow of that divine favour which he had formerly lost by his transgressions Cant. 4. 7. Thou art all fair my love and there is no spot in thee that is none in my account Deut. 32. 5. nor no such spots as the wicked are full of Look as David saw nothing in lame Mephibosheth but what was lovely 2 Sam. 9. 3 4 13 14. because he saw in him the features of his friend Jonathan so God beholding his people in the face of his son sees nothing amiss in them They are all glorious within and without Psal 45. 13. Look as Absolom had no blemish from head to foot so they are irreprehensible and Jer. 2. 32. without blemish before the throne of God Rev. 14. 5. The pardoned sinner in repect of divine acceptation is without Eph. 5. 26 27. spot or wrinkle or any such thing God accepts the pardoned sinner as compleat in him who is the head Colos 2. 10. of all principality and power Christ makes us comely through his beauty he gives us white raiment to stand before the Lord Christ is all in all in regard of divine acceptance Eph. 1. 6. He hath made us accepted in the beloved All persons out of Christ are cursed enemies objects of God's wrath and Justice displeasing offending and provoking creatures and therefore God cannot but loath them and abhor them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath made us favourites so Chrysostom and Theophilact render it God hath ingratiated us he hath made us gracious in the son of his love through the blood of Christ we look of a sanguine complexion ruddy and beautiful in God's eyes Isa 62. 4. Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken but thou shalt be called Hephzibah for the Lord delighteth in thee The acceptation of our persons with God takes in six things 1. God's honouring of us 2. His delight in us 3. His being well pleased with us 4. His extending love and favour to us 5. His high estimation of us 6. His giving us free access to himself It is the observation of Ambrose that though Jacob was not by birth the first-born yet hiding himself under his brother's cloaths and having put on his coat which smelled most fragrantly he came into Gen. 27. 36. his father's presence and got away the blessing from his elder brother so it is very necessary in order to our acceptation with God that we lie hid under the precious Robe of Christ our elder brother that having the sweet 2 Cor. 2. 15. savour of his garments upon us our sins may be covered with his perfections and our unrighteousness with the Robes of his righteousness that so we may offer up our selves unto God a living and acceptable sacrifice not Rom. 12. 1. Isa 64. 6. Phil. 3. 9. having our own righteousness which are but as filthy rags but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Thus you see that Justification for the nature of it lies in the gracious pardon of the sinners transgressions and in the acceptation of his person as righteous in Gods sight But Secondly In order to the partaking of this grace of the forgiveness of our sins and the acceptation of our persons we must be able to produce a perfect righteousness before the Lord and to present it and tender it unto him and the reason is evident from the very nature of God who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity Habak 1. 13 that is Habak 1. 13. Heb. And to look on iniquity thou canst not do it with patience or pleasure or without punishing it There are four things that God cannot do 1. He cannot lie 2. He cannot die 3. He cannot deny himself 4. He cannot behold iniquity with approbation and delight Josh 24. 19. And Joshua said unto the people ye cannot serve the Lord for he is an holy God he is a jealous God he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins such is the holiness of God's nature that he cannot behold sin Psal 5. 4 5 6. that he cannot but punish sin where ever he finds it God is infinitely immutably and inexorably just as well as he is incomprehensibly gracious Now in the justification of a sinner God doth act as a God of justice as well
or freedom whether he will damn the obstinate impenitent sinner or no Look as God cannot but love holiness where-ever he sees it so he cannot But loath and punish wickedness where-ever he beholds it neither will it stand with the infinite wisdom of God to admit of a dispensation or relaxation of the threatnings without satisfaction God had passed a peremptory doom and made a solemn declaration of it in his word that he that sinneth shall die the death and he will not he cannot break his word you know he had fore-ordained Jesus Christ and set him forth to take upon himself this burden to become a propitiation Rom. 3 35. 1 Pet. 1. 20. for sin through his blood and made known his mind concerning it in his written word plainly Isa Exigitur as Junius and some others read it 53. 7. If we read the words it is exacted or strictly required meaning the iniquity or punishment of us all vers 6. It is required at his hands he must answer it in our stead and so he is afflicted and this affliction reacheth even to the cutting him off vers 8. Therefore when Christ puts this work upon an ought and must be he lays the weight of all on the Scriptures thus it is written as you may see in the texts lately cited as if he should say God hath spoken it and his truth engageth him to see it done so God hath threatned to punish sin and his truth engageth him to see it done Oh sirs there is no standing before that God that is a consuming fire a just judg a holy God except I have Heb. 12 9. one to undertake for me that is mighty to save and mighty to satisfie divine justice and mighty to pacifie divine Isa 63. 1. wrath and mighty to bear the threatnings and mighty to forgive sin when God forgives sin he does it in a way of Isa 19. 20. righteousness 1 John 1. 9. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness he doth not say he is merciful but just to forgive us our sins because they are satisfied for and God's justice will not let him demand the same debt twice of the surety and of the debtor too it will never stand with the unspotted justice and righteousness of God to require such debts of us which Christ Rom. 3. 25. by shedding his most precious blood hath discharged for us Mark the maledictory sentence of death denounced by the Law against sinners was inflicted by God upon Christ this is that which the Prophet Esay positively asserts where he saith the chastisement that is the punishment called a chastisement because inflicted by a father and only for a Isa 53. 5 7. time of ourpeace was upon him and again he was oppressed and he was afflicted which according to the genuine sence of the Original is better rendred it was exacted to wit the punishment of our sin and he was afflicted or he answered to wit to the demand of the penalty The curse to Theod. disp l. 15. c. 5. which we are subject saith Theodorus he assumed upon himself of his own accord the death that was not due Gr. mer. l. 3. c. 13. to him he underwent that we might not undergo that death which was due to us saith Gregory he made himself Arnol. de sep verb Tr. 1. a debter for us who were debtors and therefore the Creditor exacts it from him saith Arnoldus Now God's justice being satisfied for our offences it cannot but remit those offences to us As the Creditor cannot demand that of the debtor which the surety hath already paid so neither can God exact the punishment of us which Christ hath suffered and therefore it is just with God to forgive us our sins It will be altogether needless to enquire whether it had been injustice in God to forgive without satisfaction St. Austin's determination is very solid there Aug. de Trinit l. 13. c. 10. wanted not to God another possible way and if it were unjust it were impossible but this of satisfaction was most agreeable to divine wisdom before God did decree this way it might be free to have used it or not but in decreeing this seemed most convenient and after it became When you are forgiven you are then released and for ever acquitted from any after reckonings with the justice of God divine Justice hath no more to say or do against you for remissa culpa remiâ—ttur paena if the fault be forgiven then also is the punishment forgiven nay let me speak with an holy and humble reverence God cannot in his justice punish when he hath pardoned necessary so that there can be no remission without it and however it might not have been unjust with God to have forgiven without it yet we are sure it is most just with him to forgive upon satisfaction Indeed the debt being paid by Christ God's very justice as I may say with reverence would trouble him if he should not give in the bond and give out an acquittance The believing penitent sinner may in an humble confidence sue out his pardon not only at the throne of grace but at the bar of justice in these or the like expressions Lord thou hast punished my sins in thy son wilt thou punish them in me thou hast accepted that suffering of thy son as the punishment of my sin therefore thou canst not in justice exact it of me for this were to punish twice for one offence which thy justice cannot but abhor Oh sirs God doth not pronounce men righteous when they are not but first he makes them so and then he pronounces them to be such so that if a man will be justified he must be able to produce such a compleat righteousness wherewith he may stand before the justice of God ah sinners the Lord is infinitely just as well as merciful and if ever your sins be pardoned it must be by an admirable contemperament or mixture of mercy and justice together it was one of the great ends of the Gospel-dispensation that God might exalt his justice in the justification of a sinner Rom. 3. 26. To declare Isay at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus But Thirdly The only matter of mans righteousness since the fall of Adam wherein he can appear with comfort before the Justice of God and consequently whereby alone he can be justified in his sight is the obedience and suffering of Jesus Christ the righteousness of the Mediatour there is not any other way imaginable how the Justice of God may be satisfied and we may have our sins pardoned in a way of justice but by the righteousness of the Son of God and therefore this is his name Jehovah-Tsidkenu the Lord our Righteousness this Jer. 23. 6. is his name that is this is the Prerogative of the Lord Jesus
Of Oneness Of Christ's Oneness with the Father pag. 233 234. 235 P Of the Papists The ridiculous and superstitious devices of the Papists detected c. pag. 311 312 313 Of Pardon of sin That all the sins of believers are pardoned at once and actually unto them is proved by ten Arguments pag. 73 to 76 All a believer's sins are fully and finally pardoned at the hour of his death pag. 76 77 God looks not upon those as sinners whose sins are pardoned pag. 77 78 79 Pardon takes off our obligation to suffer eternal punishment pag. 79 80 Of Peace of Conscience The imputed righteousness of Christ is the only true basis bottom and ground for true peace and quiet of conscience pag. 348 349 350 351 352 353 Of the several Pleas that every sincere Christian may form up as to the ten Scriptures in the Old and New Testament that refer either to the General Judgment or to the particular Judgment that will pass upon every Christian immediately after death The first Plea pag. 72 73 The second Plea pag. 88. 89 The third Plea pag. 94 95 96 97 The fourth Plea pag. 288 289 313 314 315 The fifth Plea pag. 338 339 The sixth Plea pag. 373 The seventh Plea pag. 378 379 Of prizing Christ The Sufferings of Christ should raise up our hearts to a very high prizing of Christ pag. 300 301 302 303 Q Q. What that faith is that gives a man an interest in Christ c pag. 54. to 59 Q. Whether in the General Judgment or in that Particular Judgment that will pass upon all the Saints after death whether their infirmities or enormities their weaknesses or wickednesses shall be brought into the Judgment of discussion and discovery or no that they shall not is proved at large pag. 59 to 73 R Reasons Several weighty Reasons why Christ did partake of both Natures pag. 249 to 260 Of the Work of Redemption That the work of Redemption was a very great work pag. 263 264 265 266 267 Revelations the 19. 8. opened and applied pag. 334 335 336 Of the Righteousness of Christ Of the excellency and glory of Christ's Righteousness pag. 315 to 339 Nine strong Consolations that flow from the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness pag. 339 to 365 Of Running to Christ Vnder all our fears doubts conflicts we should still run to Christ pag. 308 309 310 311 S Of Satisfaction That God doth stand upon satisfaction and will not forgive one sin without it is made evident by five Arguments pag. 320 to 324 Of Sincerity When a man's heart is sincere with God pag. 1 2 3 Of Sin many weighty things about it Four ways to know when sin is indulged pag. 3 4 Thirteen Arguments to prove that no Godly man does or can indulge himself in any course or way or trade of Sin pag. 4 to 14 Ten Arguments to shew the folly vanity and falshood of that opinion that is received and commonly avowed by Ministers and Christians viz. That every Godly person hath his beloved sin his bosom sin pag. 14 to 24 First All wicked men have their beloved sins their darling sins c. pag. 24 25 Secondly The Elect before their conversion have had their beloved sins c. pag. 25 Thirdly after conversion the hearts of the Elect are most set against those sins which were once their beloved sins c. pag. 25 Fourthly After conversion a sincere Christian endeavours to be most eminent in that particular grace which is most contrary to that sin which was once his beloved sin c. pag. 25 26 Fifthly Though no Godly man hath any beloved sin yet every Godly man hath one sin or other to which they are more prone than to others pag. 26 27 28 29 Eight remedies against keeping up of any special sin either in heart or life against the Lord or against the light and convictian of a man 's own conscience pag. 29 to 42 Five and twenty Arguments against keeping up of any special sin in heart or life against the Lord or against the light of a man 's own conscience pag. 42 to 50 Of the sufferings of Christ See pag. 97 to 105 The true reasons why the Sufferings of Christ though short yet have a sufficient power and vertue in them to satisfie God's justice pag. 272 273 274 Of the Sufferings of Christ in his body The Sufferings of Christ in his body largely opened pag. 105 to 121 Of the Sufferings of Christ in his Soul The Sufferings of Christ in his soul largely opened pag. 121 to 131 The Sufferings of Christ in his soul were very high and great and wonderful pag. 131 to 137 That Jesus Christ did feel and suffer the very Torments of Hell though not after an Hellish manner pag. 137 to 153 Christ's Sufferings for us should mightily endear Jesus Christ to us pag. 153 154 155 The punishments that Christ did suffer for us must be referred only to the substance and not to the circumstances of punishment pag. 284 285 286 The meritorious cause of Christ's Sufferings were the sins of his people pag. 286 287 288 Seven Inferences from the consideration of the great sufferings of Christ pag. 289 to 315 Of the Suretyship of Christ All the sins of believers were laid upon Christ their Surety pag. 80 81 82 83 84 85 Q. Whether God were not unjust to give Jesus Christ to be our Surety answered pag. 85 86 87 88 The Suretyship of Christ considered at large pag. 374 to 379 T Of Triumphing in Christ Jesus The Imputation of Christ's Righteousness affords us the highest reason to rejoyce and triumph in Christ Jesus pag. 354 355 356 357 358 Of a True penitential turning from all sin A True penitential turning from all sin lies in six particulars pag. 17 18 19 Five and twenty Arguments to work us to turn from all sin pag. 42 to 50 Of Types The Scape-goat was a most lively Type of Christ pag. 368 369 V Of Universal Obedience Five and twenty Arguments for Vniversal Obedience pag. 42 to 50 An objection against universal obedience answered pag. 50 51 Vniversal obedience consists in nine things pag. 51 to 55 Of our Unrighteousness Christ's mediatory righteousness takes away all our Vnrighteousness pag. 342 343 W Of Willingness Christ's sufferings should work in us the greatest willingness to suffer for Christ pag. 303 to 308 Of the works of God The same Works which are peculiar to God are ascribed to Christ in the blessed Scriptures pag. 225 226 227 Of Worship Divine honour and Worship is due to Christ and by Angels and Saints is given unto him pag. 227 228 229 First All inward Worship is due to Christ pag. 229 230 Secondly All outward Worship is due to Christ pag. 230 to 232 When Jesus Christ was declared to the world God did command even the most glorious Angels to worship him as his natural and coessential Son pag. 232 233 ERRATA PAge 5. line 1. read all p. 6. l. 22. r. I. p. 22. l. 13. r. our p. 34. l. 14. heat r. heart p. 8. l. 4. him r. them p. 80. l. 31. lai r. laid p. 89. l. 16. r. so p. 111. l. 26. r. A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 112. l. 7. opinion r. opening p. 112. l. 20. nature r. water p. 112. l. 28. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 125. l. 19. r. animam p. 174. m. r. Bernard p. 181. l. 23. r. to p. 188. m. r. summam paenae p. 197. l. 22. love r. lose p. 202. l. 1. reviled r. revealed p. 193. l. 36. the r. their p. 212. l. 18. r. not p. 133. m. r. Relinquit m. r. confut p. 137. l. 7. and r. the. p. 138. m. Rom. r. Act. p. 141. l. 8. Torments r. Tormentors p. 147. l. 11. Isa 5. r. Isa 50. p. 157. m. r. magnum p. 232. l. 30. any r. and. p. 234. l. 19. r. that l. 34. not r. nor p. 238. l. 3. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 263. l. 30. given r. even p. 267. l. 21. into r. with with r. into p. 283. l. 14. their r. her blot out my wife and children p. 296. l. 4. deared r. dearest p. 311. l. 15. r. he did p. 321. l. 29. r. Secondly p. 336. m. hat r. that p. 354. l. 38. blot cut it in the fourth leaf of the Epistle Dedicatory l. 2. the r. this There are sundry other mistakes in pointings changes and transpositions of letters misfiguring of pages c. besides Some are omitted because they do not much disturb the sence others because they will not easily escape thy notice Share the faults between the Author's absence and the Printers negligence and then correct before thou readest
when Angels Devils Men shall stand before the Lord Jesus whom God the Father hath ordained to be the Judge of Quick and Dead Act. 17. 31. Now to this great Question I Answer that the sins of the Saints the infirmities and enormities of Believers shall never be brought into the Judgment of discussion and discovery they shall never be objected against them either in their particular day of Judgment or in the great day of their Account Now this truth I shall make good by an induction of particulars thus First Our Lord Jesus Christ in His judicial proceedings in the last day which is set down clearly and largely in Math. 25. 34. to ver 42. doth only enumerate the good works they have done but takes not the least notice of the spots and blemishes of the infirmities or enormities Deut. 32. 4 5 6. Dan. 9. 24. of the weaknesses or wickednesses of his people God has sealed up the sins of his people never to be remembred or lookt upon more In the great day the book of Gods Remembrance shall be opened and publickly read that all the good things that the Saints have done for God for Christ for Saints for their own Souls for Sinners and that all the great things that they have suffered for Christ's sake and the Gospels sake may be mentioned to their everlasting praise to their eternal honour And though the choicest and chiefest Saints on Rom 7. 23 24. Gal. 5. 17. Earth have 1. Sin dwelling in them 2. Operating and working in them 3. Vexing and molesting of them being as so many Goads in their sides and Thorns in their eyes 4. Captivating and prevailing over them yet in that large Recital which shall then be read of the Saints lives Math. 25. There is not the least mention made either of sins of Omission or Commission nor the least mention made either of great sins or of small sins nor the least mention made either of sins before Conversion or after Conversion Here in this world the best of Saints have had their buts their spots their blots their specks as the fairest day hath its Clouds the finest Linnen its spots and the richest Jewels their specks but now in the judicial process of this last and universal Assizes there is not found in all the Books that shall then be opened so much as one unsavory but to blemish the Rev. 20. 12. Dan. 7. 10. Num. 23. 21. fair Characters of the Saints Surely he that sees no Iniquity in Jacob nor perverseness in Israel to impute it to them whilst they live he will never charge Iniquity or perverseness upon them in the great day Surely he who has fully satisfied his Fathers Justice for his peoples sins and who hath by his own Blood ballanced and made Isa 53. up all Reckonings and Accounts between God and their souls he will never charge upon them their faults and follies in the great day Surely he who hath spoken so much for his Saints whilst he was on Earth and who hath continually interceded for them since he went to John 17. Heb. 7. 25. Heaven he won't though he hath cause to blame them for many things speak any thing against them in the great day Surely Jesus Christ the Saints Pay-master Heb. 10. 10 12 14. Matth. 18. 24. Col. 2 14. who hath discharged their whole debt at once who hath paid down upon the nayl the ten thousand Talents which we owed and took in the Bond and nailed it to the Cross leaving no back-reckonings unpaid to bring his poor Children which are the travail of his soul afterward Isa 53. 11. into any danger from the hands of Divine Justice he will never mention the sins of his people he will never charge the sins of his people upon them in the great day Our dear Lord Jesus who is the Righteous Judg of Heaven and Earth in the great day of account He will bring in Omnia bene in his presentment all fair and well and accordingly will make Proclamation in that High-Court of Justice before God Angels Devils Saints and Sinners c. Christ will not charge his Children with the least unkindness he will not charge his Spouse with the least unfaithfulness in the great day yea he will represent them before God Angels and Men as compleat in him as all fair and spotless as without spot or wrinkle as without fault before the Throne of God as holy and Col. 2. 10. Cant. 4. 7. Ephe. 5. â—7 Rev. 14 5. unblameable and unreproveable in his sight as immaculate as the Angels themselves who kept their first Estate This honour shall have all the Saints and thus shall Christ be glorified in his Saints and admired in all 1 Thâ—s 2. 10 them that believe The greatest part of the Saints by far will have past their particular judgment long before Heb 9. 27. the general judgment and being therein acquitted and discharged from all their sins by God the Judge of the quick and dead and admitted into Heaven upon the credit 2 Tim. 4. 1. of Christs Blood Righteous satisfaction and their free and full justification It cannot be imagined that Jesus Christ in the great day will bring in any new charge against his Children when they have been cleared and absolved already Certainly when once the Saints are freely and fully Absolved from all their sins by a Divine Sentence then their sins shall never be remembred they shall never be objected against them any more For one Divine Sentence cannot cross and rescind another the Judge of all the world had long since cast all their sins behind his back and will he now set them before his face Isa 38. 17. and before the faces of all the world surely no he has long since cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea bottomless depths of everlasting Oblivion that they might Micah 7. 19. never be buoyed up any more He has not only forgiven their sins but he has also forgotten their sins And Jer. 31. 34. will he remember them and declare them in the great day surely no God has long since blotted out the transgressions Isa 43. 25. of his people This Metaphor is taken from Creditors who when they purpose never to exact a Debt will blot it out of their Books Now after that a Debt is strucken out of a Bill Bond or Book it cannot be exacted the Evidence cannot be pleaded Christ Col. 2. 14. having crost the debt-Book with the red lines of his Blood If now he should call the sins of his people to remembrance and charge them upon them he should cross the great design of his cross Upon this foundation stands the absolute impossibility that any sin that the least sin yea that the least circumstance of sin or the least aggravation of sin should be so much as mentioned by the Righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth in the process of that